


All You Get From Love is a Love Song

by Skiptink



Category: Jonas Brothers
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Chefs, Dancing, Disney World & Disneyland, F/M, Friendship, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Love, Music, New York City, Past Abuse, Romance, Travel, celebrity, lyrics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2018-11-13 07:28:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 100,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11179938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skiptink/pseuds/Skiptink
Summary: Daughter of a celebrity chef and dance legend, Holly Carmichael has somehow managed to stay out of her parents' spotlights. Still, she managed to have a great life with a loving family, great job, and amazing friends. On a trip to Las Vegas, all she wanted was to have a good time celebrating her friend's birthday. Then Joe Jonas walked in.





	1. All You Get From Love is a Love Song

 

_Oh it's a dirty old shame_

_When all you get from love is a love song_

_That's got you layin' up nights just waitin'_

_for the music to start_

_It's such a dirty old shame when you got_

_to take the blame for a love song_

_Because the best love songs are written_

_with a broken heart_

Where to start? That always seems to be the question. And I never have an answer for it. Do I start with where we are? Do I start with where we started? Why don’t I start with me? Who am I? Why do I matter? Well… let’s see… I am Holly Carmichael from sunny, Orange County, California… Which I’m sure you’ve heard of… but life here isn’t always like TV shows and movies make it out to be. Sure, I live in a house in the hills… Anaheim Hills. But I have worked hard to get all the things I have. The beach is 20 minutes away. I can make it to LA or San Diego in about an hour – give or take in traffic. And Vegas… oh the Vegas…. It takes about 4 hours to be in Sin City.

There are a million things that led me to where I was in life. Work – I adore my job. I get to do things in my job that people only dream of. Family was pretty typical – Mom, Dad, sisters, me, and a dog. Love… what can a girl say about love? It is the most amazing and the most painful thing one can ever experience. But I’m still working on that chapter. And then there are my friends. Friends – I have the best friends a girl could ever have.

That’s where we’ll start.

My friend Drew was turning 21…  We called everyone to meet us at our favorite bar to celebrate right! At 11:59 p.m. we circled the guy; tequila shots in hand (thanks to Drew’s Dad, Mr. Perry) and counted down to midnight. I sipped my soda as everyone licked, slammed, and sucked in proper fashion.

_What? Someone had to be the designated driver._

Last call was announced. Drinks were finished. Drew, Roxy, Tommy, Rachel, and I hopped into the rented Escalade that awaited us. I took my spot behind the wheel and headed for the freeway – that’s the highway to some of you… We got about fifteen minutes into the drive before everyone else was asleep. Thank God for music. I selected my traveling playlist and drove us through the darkness. As the sun rose up over the sands of the desert, I pulled off the 15 headed for The Strip. “Wake up kids… time to put your shoes on… we’re almost to Grandma’s house…” I gently called to my friends. I could hear them stir. Moments later there was a near-deafening eruption of excitement. We pulled up to the valet at the Paris. I love the Paris. It’s so pretty…

My door was opened and a man held his hand out waiting for me to exit the vehicle. “We’ll be checking in a little later, will you please hold our luggage?”

“Yes, of course Miss Carmichael.” He smiled.

“Thank you.” The man quickly placed our bags on a trolley and tagged them. He handed me the claim tickets in exchange for a tip as my friends congregated on the sidewalk. I smiled back at the man before meeting them. “Ok Birthday Boy, where to first?” I looped my arm through Drew’s.

“I don’t’ know about you guys, but I’m STARVING!!!!” Everyone agreed. It was 6:45 in the morning… we all looked at each other for a split-second before we threw open the doors to the casino and ran into it! Flip-flopped feet pounded the tiles from the Paris, through Bally’s and out the door on the other side. We stared across the street. They can change the name to the little tiny casino as much as they want… we will still call it the Barbary Coast… and they have the BEST toast! We climbed our way across the elevated walkway and back down to the entrance of the dark, dank, smoky, dimly lit casino. We calmed ourselves long enough to be seated.

“What’ll you have?” A gravelly voiced, older lady asked us. I swear she started working in Vegas back in Bugsy Segal’s day. Choices were quickly given. Before we could finish a cup of coffee, our breakfasts were being served. And then the piece de resistance! The plate stacked high with thick-sliced toast. Butter ran down the sides of the bread and collected in the plate. Our greasy fingers and mouths extolled our joy. Plates were finally pushed back toward the center and a collective sigh rose from the table. We all knew what was next. A nap!

We headed back to the hotel; full tummies slowed the pace from our earlier dash. My friends headed for the GIGANTIC Wheel of Fortune multi-player slot machine while I went to check in. “Bonjour Mademoiselle Carmichael, comment peux-je vous aider?”

“Bonjour. J'aimerais me présenter à l'enregistrement s'il vous plaît. ” I requested.

 

The woman behind the desk was slightly taken aback that I could speak back to her so fluently. She attempted to hide her surprise by looking down at her computer and keying away. “I'm very sorry Miss Carmichael, but it appears that your suite won’t be available until 2:00 this afternoon. But I can set you up with a villa at the pool, if you’d like…”

“That’d be fantastic, thank you.” And stuff like this is why I love this hotel! Their service is ALWAYS impeccable!

“How many are in your party?” She still clacked away on her keyboard.

“There are 5 of us.”

“One more thing… and you are all set. I’ll have the bellman bring your bags around so you can get your things.” She handed over five keys. “These are just for the pool. I’ll have someone bring you your room keys when your suite is available. You’ll have villa 3.” I took the pool keys and thanked her. I turned away from the front desk and grabbed my phone – 8:00 on the nose.

I walked over to the big, round slot machine occupying my friends’ attention. “We’ve got a slight problem,” I heavily sighed as I dropped my bag for added emphasis. I flopped into a seat, grabbed a twenty from my pocket, and stuffed it in the machine along with my Player’s Club Card. All five of their heads snapped up from their video screens. I nonchalantly tapped my screen and spun the reels. “I know you all want to take a nap, but our room isn’t ready.” Four voices sighed with sheer exhaustion. I kept playing… _OOH! Bonus round! I get to spin the wheel!_ I stood up and hit the blinking spin icon on the screen. The wheel began to rotate. “Um... but that’s not the biggest problem… now I have a cabana up at the pool all to myself. Anyone care to join me?” Their faces lit up as they practically jumped over the machine to grab one of the keys I produced. And then the wheel stopped. It landed on 10,000 - which on a nickel slot machine equals about $500.

Rachel started screaming. Tommy and Drew just stared in amazement. Roxy jumped up and down. “CASH OUT! CASH OUT!” She yelled. I quickly hit cash out. The machine spit out a receipt. I grabbed it and started running to the automated cashier. Roxy grabbed my bag and our keys. Five one-hundred dollar bills spit into my hand. I quickly folded them and put them in my pocket.

_Yet another reason I love Vegas!_

After we stopped by the bell desk for swim attire, we hopped in the elevator to go to the pool. We exited out into the bright August sun. It was already in the 80’s and nearing 90. An attendant met us at the entrance of the pool. “Miss Carmichael, please follow me.” My motley crew and I followed him to our villa. “This is Diane; she will assist you with anything you need.”

“Thank you,” I smiled. Tommy tipped the guy before he disappeared.

“This is SO AWESOME! Thank you Holly!” Drew beamed. “This is already the best birthday ever!” He kissed my cheek.

“Well since Summer couldn’t make it, we’re trying to make up for it!” I patted his back. We all looked around. Inside there was a flat screen TV, a stereo, stocked refrigerator, a table with chairs – and a fruit basket, and a couch. Outside there were 5 padded chaise lounge chairs, two rafts, and towels… lots of towels. Everyone grabbed towels and selected their seats. Within minutes, everyone was asleep… everyone except me. I took my camera from my bag and began snapping pictures. The view was amazing! The pool itself unfolded before us, but behind that was the picturesque replica of the Eiffel Tower. I shot four or five pictures from different angles. I headed into the villa, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and clicked the TV on. I flopped on the couch to surf through the channels. After catching the weather report – which is redundant… _once it’s hot, it’s HOT! Whether it’s 108 or 114, does it matter?_ I returned to my lounge chair in the middle of everyone.

I must have dosed off. The next thing I know, my face was being covered in a thin sheen of mist. I opened my eyes; misters lined the entire canopy above us. My friends all stirred. “What time is it?” Roxy groggily asked.

I looked at my cell phone. “Does it really matter?”

“No, I guess it really doesn’t,” she laughed.

I got up to locate our attendant. Diane came over to me quickly. “What can I get for you, Miss Carmichael?”

“Ok, see that guy?” I pointed to Drew. “It’s his 21st birthday, what do you suggest?”

“Everyone is 21?” She checked.

“Yep.”

“Alright then, I’ll take care of you!” She left me to my friends.

“So I think it’s about time for a drink!” Tommy announced.

“I’m on top of it!” I replied.

“Damn Holly, you’re quick,” Roxy laughed.

“Yes, well… you know I take care of you guys!”

Diane returned with 5 pink-ish red drinks. She set her tray on the table and handed out glasses. “Where’s my birthday boy?” She sweetly cooed.

“Um… that’d be me,” he timidly admitted.

“Ladies,” She yelled. In a blink Drew was flanked by three beautiful, bikini-clad, blonde women. They dragged him to his seat. One sat beside him holding his drink inches away from him. One sat on the other side pulling grapes off a bunch and feeding them to him. And the third stood behind him massaging his shoulders. For five minutes they treated him like a king, and then walked away. We all stared in amazement.

My cell phone started to ring. I grabbed it. “Hey Mom, I’m sorry I forgot to call when we got here. I figured you’d be in yoga anyway.” I listened for a moment. “No, everything’s great. We’re sipping fruity mai-tais from our pool-side cabana. I hit a $500 jackpot. And we’ve got a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower… it doesn’t get much better than this for 11:00 on a Friday morning.” I finished my conversations and put my phone down in just enough time. As I turned around, two arms grabbed me and threw me over a shoulder. I started screaming. And then… SPLOOSH!!!!!! I was in the pool.

“I swear you guys; I will get you for that! You don’t know when… you don’t know where…I will get you.” And then there was uproarious laughter. We relaxed in the sun. We enjoyed everything Diane brought us to eat and drink. At exactly at 2:00, as promised, our room keys were brought to us. We played in the water a little longer. “Who wants to check out the suite?” I called out. Water splashed, towels unfurled around bodies, the beer bucket was grabbed, and we were on our way.

The elevator ride seemed to take forever! Finally the doors slid open. We followed the signage and stopped in front of two large doors. The lock beeped then clicked. I opened one of the doors. Cream colored paisley-patterned walls blended down to a cream colored carpet. The furniture was all dark wood. The couches and chairs were covered in richly colored fabrics. The beds had red and black striped canopies over them. It literally took my breath away. I shook my head and inhaled deeply. Once the initial survey was done, everyone ran for a bed. There were three bedrooms; all king-sized beds. I crawled up on the bed and laid out. _Get up, get up, get up! This is a bad idea! If you don’t get up, you’re never going to!_ My inner voice was screaming at me. It’s true. If I didn’t get up now, I was going to fall asleep.

I looked over at the clock next to the bed. It was already 3:00. Where did the time go? I sat up and slid down. “Ok gang… we’re supposed to be meeting the Perry’s at Margaritaville at 6:00. So my thought is that we get ready. Head over to the Forum Shops for a little Fat Tuesday’s, and then head over to dinner…”

“I call the shower first!” Roxy’s voice rang out. There was no argument from anyone. Rachel was already busy deciding what to wear. The boys disappeared, as they usually do… I opened a door; assuming it was the closet, looking for my luggage… it was not the closet. It was another bathroom. Cool, creamy marble surrounded me. There was a sunken tub and a separate shower with one of those rain faucets on it. I immediately turned it on then went to locate my bag. With shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and scrubby in hand, I stripped down and stepped in. It was beyond huge. I stood in the middle of it, feeling like I’d been shoved in the middle of a summer storm – well minus the thunder and lightning.

_I have got to get one of these things at home!_

Once toweled off, I searched through the clothes I brought, I quickly realized I needed help. I trusted no one’s fashion sense as much as I trusted Drew’s. I clutched my towel to my body and strode out to the other room… _What? We’re close friends. We play poker in our underwear?_ “DREW!!!! I’m having a fashion crisis! I need help!” I beckoned. And then I realized there was someone else in the suite that I didn’t know… I stopped dead in my tracks. “Um… can I help you? Are you lost?” I asked the dark-haired man.

“I’m a friend of Drew’s…” he replied.

“Oh…” _What can I say? It is his birthday… It was open invitation…_

Drew came from the other side of the suite. “Damn, a person could get lost in here… Here J. I see you’ve met Holly – the wonderful woman who put this trip together. I swear we all would die without her…” He sang my praises as he grabbed my free hand, the one NOT holding my towel on.

“And yet I can’t seem to put together an ensemble without him… Drew, will you help me please?” He handed this J fellow one of the two bottles of water in his hand. “Hey… you haven’t stopped drinking on me, have you?”

“Don’t worry Holl, I’m just pacing myself… or need I remind you of the notorious Perfect Margarita Incident?”

“Touché my friend, water away!”

That caught J’s attention. “The notorious Perfect Margarita Incident, huh?” He smiled.

_Oh don’t smile like that… that is a dangerous smile… uh… too late! Damn!_

I pulled Drew back to my room. The contents of my suitcase spilled across my bed. Drew stepped up to it and quickly began throwing garments around. Before I could think of something to ask him about his friend, an outfit was presented. “There you go Dollface.” My mouth opened to say something, anything, but he continued. “He will be crazy about you in that outfit… silver accessories, the white shoes. He’s single and safe for you… He’s not like the rest of us…” And then he walked out of the room. _He’s safe for me? What the hell was that supposed to mean?_ On the bed was a sheer pink halter top with white cropped pants. I quickly dressed before I called for my next assistant.

“Roxy… I need make up help, please.” I pulled my hair up into a ponytail. At least I could do something myself. I spread my make up across the vanity and took a seat. Roxy came in as I was sliding my heels on. She looked hot! Sexy black top, great denim skirt and the MOST adorable red shoes ever!

“So… have you met Drew’s friend?”

“Uh… in a manner of speaking, yes...” She looked at me funny. “I was in a towel and in need of fashion help.” She laughed as she expertly applied my face. Fifteen minutes later, I was putting on my accessories and reaching for the door handle. “Who’s ready to go? I can hear the 190 Octane calling my name!”

Everyone fell into place - hair, handbags, and haute couture. “Everyone’s got their key, right?” Rachel checked. We learned that it was always best that everyone had their own key… that way if someone wanted to go back to the room, they could… and no one would have to bang on the door for someone to let them in. We always started an evening out together, but we rarely finished one that way.

We cut through Bally’s to get outside. Two elevated walkways later, we were headed into Caesar’s Palace. We pushed our way through the throngs of people gawking at this, that, and the other thing. We had exactly one hour to get to Fat Tuesdays, purchase our frozen beverages, drink them, and meet Drew’s family at the Flamingo – across the street and a hotel over… well, if we went out the right exit, it would just be across the street. The three of us ladies led the charge, on a mission. The boys commented on places they wanted to shop.

J was in the middle, seeming just to enjoy the view in front of him. Three beautiful women swinging with each step… Finally we made it. I slapped part of my winnings down and I ordered my drink with the extra shot of Everclear, and 6 jello shots. My friends all ordered their frozen cocktail of choice. We sat down at a little table just moments before the Atlantis show began. Roxy passed the jello shots around and we all held it up. Tommy gave the toast, which at that point no one could hear over the music and robotic Roman Gods’ voices. The sweet gelatin-y goodness slid down my throat. _Delicious._

Just before the show was over, we made a break for it. We were supposed to be at the restaurant in 5 minutes…. That wasn’t going to happen, but we’d be close. I blazed a trail through the crowd. I slowed for a bottle neck near Victoria’s Secret. “I didn’t know this was a race…” a low voice breathed. Something switched within me.

_What the hell was that?! Did I just swoon? I think I just swooned!_

I looked back to see J right behind me and my friends nowhere to be seen; I stopped completely – adding to the congestion. “Point taken.”

He stood close to me - closer than someone should stand when they’ve met only an hour or so ago. But it was crowded and loud. “What’s the hurry?” He asked.

“Have you ever been around Drew’s mom when she’s mad? It’s not fun. In fact if I never see that again, I will die a very happy lady. And nothing makes her pissier than when he’s late. That is the hurry!”

_When did I lean into him? Oh my… he smells good – really good… so good I could add that smell is to my list of favorite smells. It’d be ranked above clean laundry but below rain. Wow, maybe I should slow down on this drink…_

He chuckled. “I think she’ll cut him some slack. It is his birthday.”

“Again, point taken,” our friends caught up to us.

Drew realized we were late for our reservation and practically started running to the crosswalk… one of the few actual crosswalks on The Strip. When we made it to Margaritaville, Drew’s parents and sister sat waiting patiently for the coaster/pager thing to go off. As we got through our hellos, it began to buzz. We were seated in the middle of the floor. Everyone sat down; J sat to my right, Roxy to my left. When the waitress came to me, I asked for a glass of water. “You haven’t stopped drinking on me, have you?” A quiet voice repeated the question I posed to Drew earlier in the day.

I giggled. _What the hell was that?! Did I just giggle? Oh hell! Now I’m starting to blush. I can feel the blush creeping into my cheeks!_ “Uh... I’m just pacing myself…we do have a long night ahead of us… not to mention the rest of the weekend!” Dinner was filled with good food, great friends, and more potent drinks.

J pushed a half full drink my direction. “That has your name on it.”

I looked at him, then the glass of blue-ish green liquid. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” The question was completely sarcastic. _Hello I am in Vegas… that is half the point to Vegas._ “You know, I don’t believe we were properly introduced earlier.” I stuck my hand out. “I’m Holly, close friend and former co-worker of the guest of honor. And you are?” He cocked his head to the side for a moment. “What? Why are you looking at me like a monkey doing a math problem?”

He laughed out loud as he took my hand, “I’m J, well really it’s Joe – but Drew has always me J, family friend and former classmate.” Then he turned the back of my hand toward him and kissed it gently. “And it is a pleasure to meet you Holly. I can see why Drew speaks so highly of you.”

My mouth opened. _Say something you twit… don’t sit there gaping._ “Um… thank you? Wait? Drew speaks of me?”

“Ok everyone; I want a picture of Andrew and his friends by the naked mermaid figurehead.” Mrs. Perry dictated. You could hear all of our chairs pushing back through the noisy restaurant. We assembled next to the wooden carving. She counted down. There was the flash… and a kiss on my cheek.

 _Wait! There was a kiss on my cheek!_ I looked at J who stood there with a sheepish grin on his face. My eyes quickly fell to the floor. _What is he doing? Why am I looking at the floor? I don’t do that! What the hell is going on with me? And when did I start having so many conversations in my head?!_ I looked up at him. I stepped in closer lifted myself on my tip toes. I kissed his cheek. _See you dork, that wasn’t so difficult._ He reached down for my hand as we followed our friends out.

Soon we found ourselves on the street debating where to go. “What about a strip club?” Rachel asked.

“Who needs a strip club?” A drunken Mr. Perry asked as he ripped open his shirt. He walked over to his son, and pulled his snap-front shirt open. Then he walked over to J and pulled open his shirt exposing his chest and abs.

Roxy was a step behind me reaching for my hand. “Do you see what I see?” All I could manage was a head nod.

“Um Drew, I think the Perfect Margarita incident has just been replaced!” I smirked, regaining my sensibilities. No one knew whether they should be mortified or doubled over in hysterical laughter. Mr., Mrs., and little sister Perry said goodnight and left us to our misadventures. The six of us began walking. We stopped to discuss exactly where we were going… It wasn’t even 10 yet. I stood face to face with J as he finished redressing. Tommy was a few feet from me, with a beer in hand mentioning something about hopping on the monorail to go over to the Hilton. It really didn’t matter to me.

 _HELLO! A beautiful man is inches away from me and staring me in the face.._ . _We could watch paint dry right now and I wouldn’t care!_

I tried to memorize every detail of that moment… dark eyes, dark hair, perfect cheekbones… glittering lights above us. The night air was hot and dry. The traffic on the street created a light breeze. His hands lightly sat on my hips. Our eyes were dead-locked on each others. I had never felt more alive in my entire life. My skin was practically buzzing. My heart pounded against my chest as if it were going to burst from concealment. For a moment I almost had to remind myself to breathe. “Walking now,” Roxy declared.

I moved. _Crap!_

“You blinked first. I win!” J laughed.

_What? Win? Were we having a staring contest? What did he win? What the hell just happened?_

“Win? Win what?” I questioned. He laughed more as Roxy linked her arm in mine and pulled me away.

“So… you’re looking cozy with the tall, dark, and handsome…” she hinted.

I feigned a Southern accent and fanned myself “Why whatever do you mean, Miss Roxy?”

“Uh huh… you can’t play coy with me…”

“I have done nothing. We were simply having a staring contest while our next location was being discussed.”

“Uh… huh!” she playfully emphasized.

“Don’t be jealous… Nick is supposed to meet up with us at the Hilton.” Nick. Nicky is the object of Roxy’s affections. The two of them have danced around each other for years. He lives in Vegas; she doesn’t… so they have some sort of kiss and cuddle-buddy arrangement. What can I say? It makes her happy. Heck, if he wasn’t like a little brother to me, I would’ve tried to get the same arrangement years ago. He’s an acrobat and aerialist in Le Rêve at the Wynn. He is so full of life that it is practically impossible to be upset around him. She tried to cover the blush that crept into her cheeks. Falling back to Southern, “Why I do declare Miss Roxy, I believe someone has a case of the vapors…” We both began to giggle hysterically. I must say I did appreciate her breaking up the intense whatever that was between J and me. Any longer and I think I would have forgotten how to breathe entirely.

 

Our group made it to the monorail station, purchased our tickets, and waited on the platform. It would take about 10 minutes to get over to the Hilton… The boys love going over there. So we go. They order their favorite drink – which takes two people… they won’t even let you order it without two people… serious alcohol here (or as Roxy calls it – booze-a-ma-hol.) The name is fitting… very fitting.

Our ride slowed to a stop in front of us. Doors slid open. The car was empty. We claimed one end. Rachel and Roxy sat on either side of me. We touched up our lip glosses and lightly chatted about the boys. See, the ladies of the group would rather go to a club and dance the night away. But the boys… oh our boys – bless them – they don’t really dance well. That’s an understatement… but I’m being nice. I have no idea if J can dance… that would just be too much if he could. He doesn’t get to be pretty, funny, and a good dancer… that would be unfair. _Back on topic Space Cadet._

We slid into the station at the Hilton. Nick was waiting at the door to the platform. Roxy squealed and ran for him. “NICKY!!!!!” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. His perfect smile beamed as he spun her around. _Good God y’all! I could watch that boy’s arm muscles flex all day long and not get tired of it!_ He winked at me. He set her down as we approached them. Manly hugs went to Drew and Tommy.

Nick looked at Rachel and gave her a big squeeze. Then he turned to me and wrapped his arms around my entire body. He lifted me off my feet and held me so tight I thought my boobs just might pop out of my back. I tapped his shoulder, “Breathing, Nicky… I’d like to be breathing.” He set me back down on my feet before Drew introduced J to Nick. They shook hands.

Nick took my hand with his left and Roxy’s with his right. “Now, how are my girls?” Roxy whispered something to him which caused him to look behind him. I think he was sizing J up. “Holly, Holly, Holly… a Vegas hook up? Is that what I’m hearing?” His tone was disappointed. I shot Roxy a dirty look. He dropped my hand and slapped my ass. “I didn’t think you had it in you, girl!” My mouth dropped open. “Well what are you doing walking with us for… go get him.” He hip bumped me to the side. “I want a full report tomorrow!”

I stood there dumbfounded for a moment before Drew slung his arm over my shoulder. “Don’t worry Holly-Hobby, I got’cha.” I smiled and leaned my head on Drew’s shoulder. He lightly kissed the top of my head. “Now,” he almost whispered, “I believe you’ve already made quite an impression on someone.” I looked over towards J who was now walking on the other side of Tommy and Rachel… Rachel saw this as a fine opportunity to grill him. “I told you he would be safe for you, and I meant it…”

“What does that mean exactly?” I looked up into his eyes. “You also said he wasn’t like the rest of you… like you boys are so bad!”

“You’ll figure it out… just relax… have a drink and have some fun! It’s my birthday and what I say goes!” He lifted his head up toward the ceiling. “Do you hear me Las Vegas – it is MY birthday! What I say goes… and I say my friends are to have the best damn time they have ever had in their lives!!!” A chorus of “Amen” rang through the near empty hallway followed by a collective laugh.

We made it to the bar. We lined up against it, climbing on to the bar stools. The bartender looked at us all with a smile. “Let me guess,” he quickly counted all of us, “you need 3 Warp Core Breaches?”

“Are we that obvious?” Drew asked.

Again, the bartender smiled as he began concocting our globe-sized beverages. I snapped pictures of the boys sipping their massive drinks through long neon-colored straws. On the other side of the bar, dance music started playing. I looked at Roxy and Rachel. With a nod, the three of us were on the tiny dance floor moving to the beats! Inebriation kicked in – well that or the boys got lonely – they all swaggered toward us. They made a little circle around us and attempted to dance. I say attempted because well let’s face it, it resembled nothing like actual dancing. They swayed their hips and sang to the songs playing. Drew started jumping up and down when Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” started. You’d think he was Jon Bon Jovi himself the way he sang to all of us. However, this song was a part of this group. There was even choreography. The other patrons were amused. Rock song after cheesy 80’s Rock song played through the night. After a dance to Def Leopard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me," the beat slowed down.

The light piano notes of Heart’s “Alone” began to drift through the air. Couples paired off. J extended his hand toward me. I heard Drew’s voice in the back of my head. _What the hell? Live a little. Have fun!_ I took his hand. His wrist pulsed, pulling me in with a flourish. I was stopped by the wall that was his chest. _Well hello pecks… how did I miss you?_ My eyes gazed downward. My entire body went stiff; my feet were glued to the floor. _What the hell is the matter with you? It’s a slow song – ish… you know how to freaking dance…_ He had a firm grip on my right hand. I leaned into him; my cheek pressed to that little indentation next to his shoulder. His right hand lightly rested on the small of my back. I closed my eyes as our feet shuffled between us. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. _Just relax Holly._

“So Drew tells me you’re a dancer…” a soft conversation began.

I looked up at him. “By passion, but not by profession – at least not at the moment.”

A crooked grin spread across his face. “I see…” Instantly his frame tightened up. “Ready?”

“Where you lead I will follow.” Now the dance floor was not that large and it was quite crowded. Yet he easily navigated us around the floor. His steps were a light Waltz. “Where did you learn ballroom?”

He gracefully spun me out and back in. “My mom and my granny…” _Of course… it had to be something like that._ “They taught me in our living room during reruns of the old Lawrence Welk Show.” My eyes lit up with a light laugh. “What?”

“I used to watch that show with my grandparents and great-grandparents when I was little.” His steps grew shorter and slower, before long we were back to shuffling our feet at the end of the song. With great exaggeration, I curtseyed. He bowed in response before grabbing my hand and pulling me off the dance floor. We laughed as we returned to the bar.

“How much longer are we gonna be here?” Rachel started to whine. Either she was really drunk, or worse, sobering up and tired.

“Yeah, I could go for a change of scene…” Nick agreed.

“I’ll get the birthday boy,” Roxy offered as she dashed back to the floor where a less-than-sober Drew still attempted to dance. She grabbed him by his belt and dragged him back to the group.

“Ooh… booze-a-ma-hol,” he smiled as he slipped from a neon pink straw. Everyone grabbed a straw and quickly drank down the purple liquid. We had no real plan as to what was next. We made our way back to the monorail station. Tommy, Rachel, and Drew were practically asleep. We disembarked at the Bally’s/Paris station. We all headed up to the suite.

“Nice digs Holly!” Nick announced as he bounded to the living room. He flopped on the couch; Roxy flopped right next to him. Tommy, Rachel, and Drew decided it was time to call it a night. “It’s not even 2 yet! Come on!” Nick whined. “Holly, please tell me you aren’t done too! Rox? J? You’ve all got to be up for something, right?!”

“I’m still game,” I admitted. _Why the hell am I not tired? I drove all night. I slept a little bit at the pool… I should be exhausted! Oh right… hot guy paying attention to me._ “You guys figure out what we’re gonna do. I’ll be right back.” I went to my room for some ibuprofen, then to the bar for a bottle of water. I walked to Drew’s door and lightly knocked. I slowly pushed the door open and walked in. Drew was sprawled across the bed. I set the water and pain reliever next to the bed. I carefully removed his shoes. “You ok buddy?’ I asked.

“Yeah,” he mumbled.

I grabbed his arms and sat him up. “Here, take these…” I placed two tablets in his palm then held the bottle of water in front of him.

He swallowed them before holding the bottle back out to me. I set it back down on the bedside table. “Thank you, Holly. I love you.” I gently helped him get under the covers.

“You’re welcome Birthday Boy. I love you, too. Get some rest… we’ve got to do this all over again tomorrow.” His head hit the pillow. I placed a kiss on his forehead before I whispered good night and walked out the door with the bottle of medication in my hand. I quietly closed the door behind me. I turned back to the bar for two more bottles of water. I walked over to Tommy and Rachel’s door. I set the pills and the water on the floor. “Room service… pre-emptive hang-over cure…” I walked back to the sitting area. “So… what’d you all decide?”

 

“I don’t know about y’all but I’m hungry!” Roxy stated and looked to Nick.

“I second that!” Nick agreed and looked to J.

J looked at me as I perched on the arm of the couch next to him. “I could eat,” I told him.

“For the record, Man… That is always Holly’s response to that particular question. In fact that’s how we know she doesn’t feel well… she’ll actually say no to food.” Nick gave him pointers.

“Thanks for making me sound like a heifer, Nicky.” _Hmm… Drew told me to relax and enjoy… Nick gives up one of my quirky habits that the boys only know because we’re all such good friends… either they think this could be something… or… or nothing… they do think this could be something. What do they know that I don’t?_ “So where are we eating?”

“Why don’t we check out the next door? We haven’t been over there since the construction was finished.” Roxy mentioned. We all agreed. The four of us quickly made our way out of the quiet of the suite. The elevator magically opened as I reached for the button. We climbed in, looking a bit more tired that originally perceived. Nick leaned into one corner and held Roxy in front of him. J stood beside me, arm draped over my shoulder, cheek resting on top of my head. I yawned. “Don’t do that!” Roxy warned.

“I’m sorry,” I managed to get out as another yawn forced its way out. We got to the Casino level. We walked at a casual pace to the doors, passing my new favorite slot machine – The Wheel of Fortune. I gave it a pat and blew it a kiss as we walked by.

“Saying hello to the money you put in it earlier?” Nick asked like a smart ass.

“No, she was thanking it for the 500 smackeroos it gave her.”

Nick and J both stopped in their tracks and stared at me. “What?”

“You won 500 bucks on a nickel slot machine?” They asked simultaneously.

Roxy took the liberty of explaining the saga. “I thought we were going to go eat?” I reminded. They quickly fell back into step to cross the driveway. “Ooh! A Tiki Bar… we NEED to go there for Mai Tais!” I said as we walked by the first part of the newly renovated hotel and casino.

“Well why don’t we go now?” J suggested. I looked at Roxy and then to Nick… None of us had any arguments. “Then let’s go…” J took my hand in his; I grabbed Roxy’s; she pulled Nick behind us. We walked past the crowd lined up to get into the “ultra-lounge.” The bouncer merely nodded at me and ushered us into the establishment. We paused in the foyer and were greeted by five women dressed in short Hawaiian print dresses. They held leis out for us to accept. Following island customs, they were placed over our heads. J said something to one of the greeters. She immediately snapped into action. She had another girl take her spot and led us through the crowd. We stopped at a stairway, where a giant man stood blocking the way. The lady leaned into the big guy and he quickly removed the rope and stepped to the side. Still holding my hand, J helped me climb the steps. At the top, we were greeted by another luau-attired woman, who showered us all with more leis.

“Ok, who needs to go to Hawaii… we can just come here!” Roxy laughed. I thought the attention from the staff a little odd. Once the second set of leis was in place, we were taken to a very casually arranged set of couches and tables. Nick flopped down, making himself comfortable. The lady who sat us scurried away, three more took her place. They busily started setting glasses and placemats on the low table. And then they disappeared.

I looked at Roxy a little stunned. I looked around the room… This seemed to be the normal set up… there were several similar furniture arrangements like ours. All had a server and what appeared to be a bouncer. And they all had glasses, bottles, mugs, chillers, and platters of food on the table. My focus was snapped back to us when I spotted a server coming over with four huge colorful tiki mugs... She set one down before each of us. “The lady wanted a mai-tai; the lady gets a mai-tai.” J smiled as he reached for the drink in front of him. He raised it toward me before taking a sip. I grabbed my drink and took a drink. Cool, delicious, and fruity… and then came the kick of rum… _Mmmm RUM!!!_

I set my Tiki mug back down, leaned over, “Thank you,” I softly said into his ear. I aimed to plant a kiss on his cheek. But with a smile he turned; my kiss landed full on his mouth. I pulled back slightly startled. And then I heard Drew’s words in my head once again. I leaned forward for the straw of my drink. I took a much larger sip. I sat back, resting my head against the back of the couch. I took a deep breath and looked over at J. He too took another drink before setting it back down. He looked at me. Our eyes were glued to each other. Without breaking, he leaned back as well. We sat there staring. _Oh God. Is this really happening? He’s going to kiss me. No! I’m going to kiss him. Wait. When did things go into slow motion? Get out of your head, Lady. This is ok. This can happen. Let it happen damn it!_ I shook my head for a moment. My heart was pounding in my ears. I closed my eyes. When I reopened them, there was barely a breath between us. I slowly inhaled _What the hell…_ I pushed through that little space and pressed my lips to his. My body turned toward his, sliding closer to him on the couch. The sounds around us disappeared. Everything else melted away. I felt his hand slide up to the side of my neck; his thumb gracefully aligned with my jaw, gently stroking my cheek. I was not imagining things; he was definitely kissing me back.

We broke apart. My eyes gazed downward. I bit my lower lip. My cheek creased with a dimple as I tried to hide the smile about to light up the lounge. His hand was still at my cheek. He pulled me closer once again. He lightly kissed the tip of my nose and then my forehead before his hand slid over my shoulder and down my arm. Suddenly, there was a bevy of activity as servers began delivering food. _When did we order food?_

Roxy jumped onto the couch next to me. She smirked at me. “So?”

“So what?”

“It looked like a good kiss… was it a good kiss?”

“Oh… You saw that…”

“Everyone on the freaking floor saw THAT!”

“They did NOT! Can we not talk about this right here, right now?”

She quickly grabbed my hand and practically dragged me off the couch. She pulled me up to one of the security guys. “A) did you just see her kissing that guy?” She pointed to where we had just been. “B) Where is the ladies room?”

The big, blazer-wearing man chuckled for a moment before composing himself. “A) Not if you didn't want me to.  B) Right over there.”

“Thank you,” she called as she continued dragging me. She pushed her way through the door. She swung me toward the counter before she crossed her arms over her chest. “WELL?!”

“Well… um… it was a kiss… it was nice… What do you want me to say?”

“Nice? Nice?! You can’t think of anything more descriptive to say?”

“Rox, when did we order food? When did we order drinks? ”

“Who cares?! This is one of the best nights I’ve ever had… I’m just sad Drew, Tommy, and Rachel aren’t enjoying this with us!”

“I care. Who is this guy I just kissed? Sure he’s a friend of Drew’s, but what does he do? Is he some sort of serial…”

“Pause on the drama for a minute Holly. What I mean by who cares is this… does it really matter right now. You kissed. Ok. That doesn’t mean we’re having a wedding tomorrow… it doesn’t even mean you have to talk to him tomorrow. Just enjoy the night. Neither one of us has done anything illegal or immoral… we are just having a good time. That’s it…” I sighed for a moment. “Now tell me about that kiss!”

By the time we returned to the boys, another round of drinks sat on the table. “Nicholas Tyler Jacobs! Are you trying to get me drunk?!” Roxy yelled.

He quickly stood up to her, nose to nose… “Well that depends… is it working?” She threw her head back in laughter.

I looked at J with a casual smile before I grabbed my drink. I gulped it down and set my empty glass back down. I shook out all the weirdness that had started to creep in. J stood up in front of me and slung his arms around my waist. “Everything ok?”

I rose to my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Yeah. Everything is good.”

Time went by and before long it was 5 a.m. We decided we should probably get back to the hotel and try that crazy thing called sleep. The walk back was humorous to say the least. We got outside to the sidewalk when Nick stopped dead in his tracks. “Hop on baby!” Roxy jumped up on his back and he began to gallop down the street. Roxy screamed and laughed with glee.

“For the love of GOD Roxy, you are wearing a short skirt! I can see your panties!” I yelled. They got to the fountain at the Paris before Roxy decreed she wanted to take a picture. Nick began to pose in front of and on the water feature. She snapped photo after photo.

J and I stood back in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower. His left thumb tucked into one of the belt loops on my pants. He held me close. I turned toward him and practically stared at his face. He watched Nick and Roxy lightly laughing here and there. “So are they dating?”

“Um… something like that…” I replied.

“I see… Well they seem perfect for each other.”

I looked over at my best friend who was now posing while Nick snapped pictures of her. “They are…” I sighed.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know. I think they’re both afraid. I think they work because they don’t see each other all the time… maybe two weekends a month… They still have their own lives, their individuality. They’re both “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kind of people.”

“Don’t they want more?”

“I’m sure… doesn’t everyone? But they’ve got their whole lives ahead of them still… I know they’ll figure it out. Or they’ll get tired of waiting…Either way; it’ll be what it’s supposed to be.”

“Do you want more?”

“More than what? Than what I have? I guess that depends… I have my family. I have my friends. I have my health, a job, money in the bank, clothes on my back, a roof over my head, and food in my kitchen. What more could I possibly ask for?” I could see the question he wanted to ask. “Yes, of course… I would love to have someone to share it all with. That just hasn’t happened yet. It will… eventually.” His eyes reflected the lights above. He looked up at the monumental metal structure above us and blinked before dropping his chin and slowly kissing me. His arm dropped to my shoulder. I reached up and grabbed his forearm before I pulled back. Suddenly, I yawned. “When did I get so sleepy?”

“Could it be when you noticed that the sun is starting to rise?”

“Really?” You could see the sky starting to lose its darkness. Black was turning to purple. I looked at Roxy and Nick who started to walk back over to us, giggling to themselves. “What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” Roxy replied. The four of us headed into the casino to find some much needed rest.

Once back in the suite we made sure all the curtains were drawn closed as tightly as possible. Our plan was to keep it as dark as possible. I then retreated to my room to get ready for bed. I grabbed my jammies from my suitcase before heading to the bathroom to wash and brush. Fifteen minutes later I climbed into my big fluffy bed, make up free and minty fresh. There was a knock on my door. Roxy poked her head in. “I came to say good night!”

“Is it good night or good morning at this point?” We both laughed.

She hoped up on my bed and gave me a squish. “I’ll say it’s good night. At least we know everyone else will sleep in…” Again we laughed. And then Nick bounded into the room and leaped on top of both of us.

“My girls, my girls!! Give me love.” He wormed his way in between both of us and propped himself on the pillows. He wrapped an arm around each of us and pulled us to his chest. He kissed the top of my head. Suddenly there was a change in the light coming in from the other room. I looked to the door. J leaned against the door jamb watching the three of us. Nick looked up. “Come in here, Man… there’s room.” He casually walked up to the side of the bed.

“We’ll scooch over for you…” Roxy offered. We all moved to the left. He sat on the end.

Roxy whispered something to Nick. He immediately gave a big fake stretch and yawn! “Man, I am so tired? Rox? You tired?”

She too gave the fake yawn and stretch. “Yeah, I sure I am. We should go to bed. Good night you two.” They quickly scampered away, closing the door behind them.

J smiled. “You’ll have to forgive them. Their subtly leaves something to be desired…” I apologized.

“Yes but what the lack in subtlety they more than make up for in gusto.” It was my turn to smile. “I should say goodnight and go crash on the couch.”

My smile fell. “Why? There’s plenty of room here.” I patted the other side of the bed. He looked at me warily. “I promise to behave.”

“Do I have to behave too?” He grinned.

“Well…” he kicked off his shoes and started crawling toward me, “no… I’ll behave enough for both of us.” He nuzzled my neck placing little kisses in the little space between my ear and my jaw. I shivered. He laughed lightly in my ear before he rested his head on my shoulder. He placed his arm across my stomach. “Would you like me to turn the TV on?”

“No… I think I just want to stay right here…” he sighed. He placed one more kiss on my neck.

“Right here right here?”

“Yes, is that ok?”

I shifted for a moment to lay down. “Now it’s ok.” I smiled. I rolled over to give him a kiss. “Good night, J.”

He propped himself up on an elbow. “Will you do me a favor, please?” My eyes were wide as I nodded. “Call me Joe.”

“Can I call you Joey? Or Joe-Joe?”

“Um… no… Joe is fine.”

“Ok then Joe… tell me, what do you do for a living?” He sighed and put his head on my stomach. “Sigh? What’s with the sigh? It can’t be that bad… Let me guess… um… waiter?”

“No.”

“Bag boy?”

“No?”

“Shampoo boy?”

“A what? NO!”

“Cabana boy? Pool boy? Lawn Mower Man?”

“No, no, and no… wait why is it only the last one is a man?”

“Well… The last one was the title of a movie! Ok, I got it! You’re the fifth dancer in the Thunder from Down Under!”

He lifted his head up. “God NO! Wait… is there something special about the fifth dancer?”

“Not that I know of… I’ve never seen it… so what is it that you so? Just tell me already!”

His head went back to my stomach, his eyes completely averted. “Musician?”

 

“Is that a question? Are you not sure?”

 

“No, I’m sure. I am a musician. A singer. And occasional actor.”

 

“Anything I might have heard of?”

 

“Um... Well... My brothers and I had a band for awhile... The Jonas Brothers. And then I had a solo project. Now I’m kinda between gigs.”

“Huh. Jonas Brothers. Ok.” I started to laugh. He sat up and slid off the bed. I threw myself forward to the edge of the bed. “No wait!!!” Both my hands stretched out toward him. “Where are you going?” I sat down in a puddle of covers. He turned back to me, back to the bed. He pressed himself against the side then folded forward, catching himself on his forearms.

The smirk he gave was the most adorable smirk ever in the history of smirks. “So what do you do for a living Holly?”

“Me? I work in the entertainment industry for a world renowned company.”

“Disney, huh?”

“If you knew, why did you ask?”

“I figured that’s how you met Drew. So what do you do there?”

“I work for the Special Events Operations division. We run little things like weddings and private dinners to Movie Premieres and Marathons.” He climbed back up and resumed his spot next to me – head on my stomach. My fingers started running through his hair.

“What’s the best event you’ve ever worked?”

“The best? I can’t choose the best. There have been so many. If I had to pick a favorite… it would have to be the Pirates premieres… I worked all of them.”

“Did you meet Johnny and Orlando?”

“I did. They were very nice… and I didn’t mind the accidental boob graze either.”

“The what?!”

“We were trying to get the two of them back on the Red Carpet… It was very crowded. Orlando accidentally grazed my chest.”

“Sure it was…” he laughed. “And what was the most difficult one?”

“Uh… well the Super Soap weekend was rough. The High School Musical 2 premiere was difficult – mostly because it was SO hot and SO crowded! Ooh! I know what my favorite one was!!!! When the Angels won the World Series!!!! I was back stage checking my crew out and Mike Soscia was walking with the trophy. He stopped me as I was walking by and ask me to hold the trophy!”

“What? You got to hold the World Series trophy?!”

“Yeah… it was very heavy.”

“Do you even follow the sport?”

“Heck yeah! I was the stat girl for the baseball team in high school.”

“And you follow the Angels?”

“Since I was 6... I would sit on my grandpa’s lap and he would explain it all to me.”

“Hmmm…” he lazily spoke into the darkness.

“Hmmm what?”

“You used to have red hair didn't you?”

“Ok random question... but yeah. I did. I just recently went back to my natural color. Why?”

“I remember you now.”

“You what?”

“You worked our book signing and the Walt Disney World Christmas taping.” He yawned again. Somewhere in the darkness, and through my shock, we both drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "All You Get From Love is a Love Song" by the Carpenters, 1977. Written by Steven Eaton, 1974.


	2. Gotta Find You

_ Where you are is where I want to be _

_ Oh next to you... and you next to me _

 

I was in the place between sleeping and awake. I could hear those words in my head. I could see all those tender moments from the night before.  _ Was it all a dream? It’s too good to be true. There is NO WAY that I, Holly Carmichael, could have kissed Joe Jonas. There is no way that I was sleeping in the same bed as that man. Hang on a second…  _ There was a strange heaviness in my hip and something grazing my stomach. I opened my eyes. Sure enough, Joe’s head rested on my hip as he traced small circles on my tummy. I watched him, trying to stay as still as possible – wishing I was in his head at that moment. His eyes were intently focused on his circles. His eyelashes were incredibly long. I had a slight twinge of jealousy. His eyelids fluttered.

“Hello Beautiful,” he smiled.

“Hey there yourself. How long have you been awake?”

“Ten, fifteen, sixty minutes…”

“You’ve been awake for an hour! What time is it?”

“Nine-ish…”

I shifted. “It’s only nine? And I thought I didn’t sleep much?! Is anyone else up?”

“Not that I know of… but then again, I would’ve had to have gotten up to find that out.” I nodded. “What are the plans for today?”

“Plans? You’re funny! I can almost guarantee that as far as this group is concerned the day will go like this:  _ ONCE _ everyone wakes up, there will be a gathering in the sitting room. The TV will be turned on to some pathetic excuse of a show considered to be reality TV. Rachel will start to whine that she is hungry. She will make pouty faces at Tommy. Roxy will roll her eyes. Eventually everyone will at least brush their teeth before putting on swimsuits. Then will come the great debate as to where everyone wants to eat. This will cause everyone to sit back down for another hour of fantastic programming while no one makes a choice. Finally Rachel will get pissed, get up from the couch, tell everyone that she is going to get something to eat and she doesn’t care if anyone else comes with her. They will all shuffle out the door. In the elevator they will all start talking about the buffet. When they get to the casino, they will see the line for said buffet. They will then end up at the café at Bally's. Half of them will order waffles; the other half will have steak and eggs. After breakfast, they will go to the pool. The girls will lay out  while the boys begin a rousing game of pool football between trips to the bar.”

Joe laughed. “I take it you’re speaking from experience.” I nodded. “So I guess the question becomes  _ when _ will they wake up?”

“That is difficult to tell…”

“Ok then, what would you like to do?”

“I hear the spa calling…”

“Why does it not surprise me that you speak spa?” he shook his head at me. I shrugged. A few seconds ticked by silently. “And what about them?” He pointed to the door.

“Them? I usually just leave a note with an expected return time or telling them to call me when they are ready to do something. I’m a morning person and I hate waking other people up as well as sitting around waiting around for other people to get up. I try to keep myself... entertained.”

“Shall we go to the spa then? I could use a massage myself... “

I grabbed the phone and hit the button for the concierge. “Good morning, this is Holly Carmichael in Suite 2918. I need to make two appointments at the spa. I need two Lime Ginger Salt Glow treatments, a signature facial, and the Urban Cleanse for Men. The earliest available please…” The gentleman on the other end of the phone rattled off the obligatory policy information as he searched for open appointments. “Ok. We’ll be there. Thank you.” I hung up the phone and slid out of bed. Still lying down, he looked at me. “We have 20 minutes to get to the spa.”

“What is it about the name Holly Carmichael in this hotel that gets such service?”

“Me? I’m sorry…  Are you not Joe Jonas? Did you not whisper something to the girl inside the door of Tiki Bar last night that set her off in a near tizzy?”

He gave that crooked half smile again.  _ Damn that thing is lethal!  _ “Touché.”

“Ok, well I’m going to go get ready…”

“For what? we’re going to sit in a bathrobes or less for a couple hours?”

“A girl needs to at least brush her teeth.”  Soon I was dancing my way down the hallway. “We’re going to the spa… We’re going to the Spa!” I sang all the way down to the elevator. Joe grabbed my hand and looped it through his arm. I stopped bouncing around. Our reflection in the shiny elevator doors almost made me laugh… it was such a regal posture for two people in sweats and flip flops. The elevator glided to the second floor. We walked into the spa and were immediately greeted by the receptionist. “Bon jour Mademoiselle Carmichael, I’m Tina. Everything is ready for your scrubs and I’ve taken the liberty of bumping you to a couple’s massage so you may enjoy them together.” Tina showed us to our perspective sides of the spa. “You’ll meet here in the lounge after your scrubs.”

“Ok, no really? Who are you?” Joe looked at me curiously.

“Me? I’m nobody.” My reply was very cool. He looked even more puzzled. I slipped through the door to the Women’s Spa to change into my robe and slippers. An hour later, I had steamed, sauna-ed, jaccuzed (it’s now a word, deal with it,) and been scrubbed down by a professional. I sat wet haired and squeaky clean on the oversized couch sipping some chamomile tea. My legs were tucked beneath me as I flipped through the large art book on French Impressionism.

The opposite end of couch sunk a little. I looked up. “What are you looking at?” I flipped the cover up so he could see it. “Ah… Monet or Renoir?”

“Neither… Degas. But I give you credit for knowing two artists of the period.”

He leaned over and looked over my shoulder. “Of course Degas… He painted all the ballet dancers.”

I closed the book and set it on the large coffee table in front of me. “Miss Carmichael? Are you ready for your massages?” I rolled off the couch and stood up. I extended my hand to Joe. He stood up and took it. We followed Tina down a long hallway and through a door. It was a large, open room. Well not really a room, closer to an enclosed patio. On one wall was a tranquil fountain. Perfectly manicured Cypress trees lined the wall that overlooked the Eiffel Tower. The scent of mint and lavender lightly filled my nostrils. I inhaled deeply. In the center of the room were two massage tables with just enough space between them for the two masseuses work.

I cautiously slipped out of my robe, rolled to my stomach, and relaxed into the table. I closed my eyes and exhaled loudly. Joe laughed, “Rough morning?” I lifted my head back up to glare at him.  _ EEP!  _ He was sitting up on the other massage table, sheet draped over his lap, and his bare, sculpted chest the focus of my attention. I completely lost the ability to speak. Fearing just what  _ might _ come out of my mouth, I dropped my head back down. I closed my eyes – I blocked out every thought and sound, except for the picture that was now burned into my memory. I was rocked back into reality when I felt two lips press into the back of my neck. I turned my head. Joe stood beside me wrapped in a sheet, hovering over me. I held onto my sheet as I turned onto my side. “Thank you.” He smiled before he started kissing up my shoulder to side of my neck.

“For. _.. _ ”  _ Breathe damn you, breathe… “ _ what?”

“Being you… and for the record, you aren’t nobody.” He placed one more kiss directly on my lips then scampered away as the masseuses came over to get started. I returned to lying on my stomach. My masseuse, Sabrina, folded the sheet down before her hands started working out the kinks and stress in my neck, shoulders, and back. She covered me back up before uncovering my legs. I couldn’t stop the sounds that escaped from my mouth as she worked out my legs and feet. All too soon, she stopped, re-draped me, then instructed me to turn over. She reached across me and pulled the sides up just enough to make it easier for me to move freely. I practically flopped over onto my back. I was re-covered.

I looked over to see Joe practically sprawled across the table. “Are you still alive over there?” I giggled. I heard a muffled response that somewhat resembled something positive.

Sabrina rolled a stool to the head of the table. She rubbed an invigorating mint balm on her hands before placing them just above my face. I inhaled deeply. Her fingers found the top of my forehead and began adding light pressure to specific points. My brain went to mush in her ever-capable hands. Her hands relaxed every fiber in my being before she started on my facial. I’m not sure if I fell asleep or if I was just  **that** relaxed. I don’t remember closing my eyes, I just remember opening them. Sabrina was coming toward me with a glass of water in one hand and my robe draped over her arm. I rolled onto my left side and sat up, keeping the sheet pressed to my body. I gulped the water down.  _ When did I get thirsty?  _ She held up my bathrobe to create a wall between us. I slipped my arms through the sleeves and pulled it around me before I carefully stood up.

I came around the table and saw Joe still lying there, eyes closed. I walked over to the head of the table. My thumbs instantaneously began to massage the little spaces just below his ears and down his neck.. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He raised his arms up and over his head. They found a backwards grasp around my waist. I slid my cheek over his smooth, freshly shaven one. “That’s nice,” I whispered in his ear. His lips puckered, hitting my cheek with corner of his mouth. I moved around so I could kiss him properly. “Shall we think about seeing what everyone else is up to… or shall we run away forever?”

Mid-kiss, he smiled. “I vote for running away…”

I laughed at him. “All right then, I’ll go pack.” 

"Forget packing. We can buy whatever we need wherever we go." Not long after that, we were on our way out of the spa for the day. We saw the doors that led to the pool. “Should we go see if they’re out there?”

“Yeah, we probably should…” He held the door open for me to go through. I squinted in the bright sunlight.

“Good morning, Miss Carmichael,” the pool attendant greeted, “your party is in your cabana.”

“Well that took the fun out of looking for them…” I noted. “Thank you.”

Joe took my hand as I took him over to the cabana. “A cabana, huh? You went all out for Drew, didn’t you?”

“Partly for Drew, partly for me, partly for everybody else…”

“So what are you gonna do next year to top this?”

I chuckled. “That is not my problem. I promised to take care of 21, someone else has the next one… The next birthday I’d even consider planning for him is his 30th.”

We strolled closer to the group. “HOLLY!” Drew yelled from the pool. Everyone turned to look at us. “You didn’t leave us a note!”

“And I can see you were worried sick about it too…”

“Where have you two been?”

“That’s a secret I’m never going to tell.”

“Drew, they went to the spa… I can smell the peppermint massage oil from here,” Roxy announced.

“Damn… I thought you were going to have some sweaty, dirty story to tell me…” He slapped his hands down on the water creating a huge splash around him. I shook my head at him and turned back to the girls.

“Roxy, where’s Nicky?” I noticed we were missing someone.

“He left after breakfast to get ready for work tonight.”

“We are going to the show tonight, right?” Drew yelled from the water.

“Yes Sweetie, our tickets are upstairs,” she answered.

My stomach started growling. “Was that you?” Joe asked me.

“Yeah, I’m hungry…”

“You guys haven’t eaten breakfast yet?!” Rachel exclaimed.

“Let’s go get something to eat. We’ll see you all later… like for dinner,” Joe told the group. Roxy raised her eyebrow at me. I shrugged as he pulled me away. We ran down to La Creperie and grabbed some crepes before heading back up to the suite.

The light was flashing on the phone. “Who could have left us a message? Everyone I want to talk to is here?”

I pushed the buttons on the phone. “Message 1: Hey Holly! It’s Bobby! I heard you were in town and I just want to invite you and your friends to come have dinner at my place. Text me and tell me how many you’re bringing and when you want to be here!”

“Message 2: Miss Carmichael, this is Tina from the Spa. We’ve set up your Poolside yoga for tomorrow morning at 7, just as you requested.”

“Who was that?” Joe asked with as he shoved a forkful of crepe in his mouth.

“Uh… hang on…” I ran to bedroom and grabbed my phone. I was composing a response as I headed back to the sitting room.

_ Bobby, there will be six of us for dinner. We’ve got tickets for a show at nine, so we’ll be there at six. _ Send.

I flopped down on the couch. “Everything ok?”

“Yep. I was just confirming our dinner reservations.” My cell phone rang with a text message.

_ Sounds great Holly. Can’t wait to see you! _

“You text for dinner reservations?”

“Doesn’t everybody?” I joked. He held his fork out toward me. I took a bite of sweet delicious crepe goodness. “So… what do you want to do now?”

“Let’s see… It’s noon now… We could hop in the car, head over to the Fashion Show, and do some shopping…”

“Ooh… a little retail therapy to complete the day of relaxation… I like it!” We cleaned up our mess before we headed out again.

_ Hey gang! Dinner is at 6. Be ready and in the sitting room by 5:45.  _ Send.

We walked through the parking structure hand in hand and into Neiman Marcus. It was a short trip up the escalator then out to the mall. We walked passed store after store pointing and stopping for a browse here and a purchase there. As we happened by The Guess Store, I stopped dead in my tracks. I stared into the window. It was the eyes that caught me. The intense stare of the eyes in the huge, blown up picture.  _ How did I not recognize that face? I’m not completely inept.  _ I kept taking little steps closer to the window attempting, I guess, to get closer to that picture.  _ Hello… Who needs the picture… The man in the picture is standing right next to you. _ I looked back at Joe. He scratched his head with a slightly embarrassed look. I turned back to the window.  _ THWAP! When did I get  _ **_that_ ** _ close to the window? _ He tried in vain not to laugh, but it was to no avail. “Ow,” I whined.

“Aww… come here.” He covered half the space between us. His arms were wide open. He kissed my nose. “Does that make it better?” I nodded. “You know, I can give you a copy of it so you don’t have to run into all the windows of all the stores in the entire world.”

I pushed my head into the center of his chest. “I can’t believe I did that.” Joe kissed the top of my head before he slung his arm over my shoulder and directed me away from the store front. We kept shopping a little bit longer, until neither one of us had a free hand to hold. We headed back to the car and back to the hotel. Once back upstairs Joe dropped his bags and threw himself across the bed. He yawned as he reached up to move the pillows. I set my bags against the wall, stepped out of my flip flops, and walked over to the bed. “Does someone need a nap?”

He pulled me up on the bed and gently placed me on top of him. “How’s your head? He asked as he placed a light kiss on my forehead.

“I think my ego is more wounded…” I shrugged. I sat up a little, my legs finding their places at his sides. We started kissing and kissing and kissing. I nudged his chin and kissed the soft spot right under it. I made a trail down one side of his throat and back up the other and up to his ear. His mouth practically crushed mine with a newly intensified kiss. My fingers dug into his hair as our mouths remained connected.

“Holly, Holly, Holly!” Roxy called as she threw the door open. I rolled my head to the side as Joe turned to look at her. “Oh… um… sorry.”

“What? We’ve both got clothes on…”

"For now..." Joe whispered. I tried not to laugh.

She still stood there. “Did you need something, or are you going to close the door?”

She was staring at us… it was apparent she interrupted a moment. “Um… where are we going to dinner?”

“I’m not telling.”

“Holly,” Drew pushed past Roxy, “what’s the dress for dinner?”

“Guys we’re going to dinner and a SHOW, not dinner and a movie or dinner and a game… Dinner and a show… a show at the Wynn. Which if I remember correctly, there is a dress code just to enter the casino. Does that help?”

“Yes, thank you.” He sat down on the edge of the bed. “Now. Do you need fashion help?” He was oblivious to the compromising position Joe and I were in.

“Thank you, but I think I’ve got this one under control. What time is it anyway?”

“Ten after five” Drew answered.

“It’s WHAT?!” I pushed myself off of Joe and Drew off the bed. “You,” I pointed at my friend on the floor, “get out. You,” I pointed to the one still on the bed, “stay there.” I pulled Drew up by his arm and pushed him and Roxy out the door and closed it behind them. I took two steps before I literally leaped for the bed. I landed directly in front of Joe and attacked him with kisses. Breathless, I sat back. “Ok. I’m gonna get ready.”

“Will you at least tell me where we are going for dinner?”

One last kiss on his cheek. “Nope.” I hopped off the bed and scampered to the bathroom.

The six of us paraded through Caesar’s Palace dressed for a sophisticated night out. I walked up to the Maitre D’. “Good evening, Miss. How may I assist you?”

“Yes, we have a reservation for Carmichael-“

“Ah Miss Carmichael,” the man seemed to jump back a nanometer. “Please! Follow me. You’re table is ready!” He signaled to another staff member who ran in the other direction.

I looked at the odd expression on Joe’s face. “Don’t say it…” I warned. I could practically hear him asking me about the response – once again – to my last name.

“Here we are…” We had been led to the table directly in front of the open kitchen. The boys remembered their manners and pulled our chairs out before they sat themselves.

“Um… he didn’t give us menus,” Drew noted.

“Yeah, Drew… You don’t get a menu when you sit at the Chef’s Table…” I responded casually.

“Holly, I know you’re a big fan of birthday weeks, but really… How did you get the Chef’s Table?”

“There’s my girl!” A spirited voice boomed behind us. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look.

With a squeal I was out of my seat and hugging a dear family friend. I turned back to the table. “Bobby, these are my friends Tommy, Rachel, Roxy, Drew – the birthday boy, and Joe. Guys, this is my dad’s best friend, Chef Bobby Flay.”

Tommy’s face was PRICELESS! For a moment I was afraid he was going to fall out of his chair. “Hi guys. Everyone having a good time in Vegas?” He lightly punched my shoulder. “Your Mom told me about the little jackpot you hit…” I waved at his comment. “Alright gang, I am personally going to make your dinner. I just need you to tell me what kind of protein you’d like.”

I looked over at Tommy. His jaw was on the table. Roxy was practically jumping up and down in her seat. “I want a steak.” Drew answered.

“Ok, one steak for the birthday boy… anyone else?” A chorus of ‘me too’ rang out across the table. Bobby looked at me. “Do I need to ask, or is it going to be the usual?”

“YOU HAVE A USUAL?” Tommy finally spoke up.

I nodded at both Tommy and Bobby’s questions. “The duck it is then,” Bobby noted. “I’ll have Samantha bring out some drinks and appetizers for you.”

“Thanks Bobby.” He walked away from us and gestured to a server near the bar. In mere seconds we all had cool refreshing mojitos at our places.

“How is it that I have known you for 8 years, and I don’t know that you are friends with THE Bobby Flay?!” Tommy tried to stay semi-quiet, but he was using his excited voice which is about 3 octaves higher than his normal speaking voice. “And why is it in all of our trips to Vegas, we’ve never come here before?!”

“I don’t know… I guess it never came up in conversation. And this is the first time he’s been here when we’ve been here. Besides, he called me…”

“HE CALLED YOU?!” Drew blurted.

“Wait, so that’s who you texted after you got the messages on the phone?” Joe asked.

“YOU  _ TEXTED _ HIM BACK?!” Tommy questioned.

“Holly? Where’s your phone?” Joe inquired.

“In my purse, why?”

“I was just curious how many other world-famous chefs you have in your phone book…”

“Hey Birthday Boy! Are you enjoying that drink?” Bobby yelled at Drew from the kitchen.

“Yes, SIR,” he responded holding his half-empty glass in the air. Bobby gestured again to the bar. Another round came to us. They were followed by an assortment of appetizers from Ahi Nachos and ceviche to smoked chicken quesadillas and shrimp tamales.

Joe had a very concentrated look on his face. “What’s with the look?” I asked him.

“Huh?” the concentration dissolved. “Oh nothing… I’m just trying to put the Holly shaped pieces together.”

I leaned closer to him, “It’s not a very difficult puzzle.” I kissed the corner of his mouth.

“Not when you have all the pieces…”

“HOLLY! Come ‘ere!” Bobby called again from the kitchen.

“Ooh… Busted…” Roxy giggled.

I got up from my seat and walked over to the wall tiled wall separating the kitchen from the dining room. “Yes?”

“So… how’s it going?”

“Delicious…” I replied a bit wary of his next line of questioning.

“Your mom didn’t mention you had a new boyfriend when I talked to her last night…”

“Um… yeah… about that… He isn’t my boyfriend…the whole thing is kind of new.”

“How new?”

“Yesterday… but it’s not what you’re thinking! Yeah  **_I_ ** just met him yesterday, but he’s been friends with Drew practically since they were embryos. And Drew says he’s safe for me… So I believe him.”

Bobby raised his eyebrow at me. “Uh huh… sure.”

“No Bobby… I trust Drew with my life… and my fashion. He knows me… If he says Joe’s a good guy, then he is. And to be honest, he hasn’t been wrong yet.”

“All right little girl, I’ll hold my judgments… for now. And I won’t tell your mom… But I swear if I hear he was remotely out of line from ANYONE… and you know I’ll find out… I’ll have him hurt.”

“Let’s remember a few things, please… one- he can only hurt me if I let him. Two – I’m a big girl. Three – If he did hurt me, there’d be a line of those waiting to hurt him… and most of them know are well-versed in filleting techniques…” Before another word could be said, I walked away.

“Everything ok in the kitchen?” Rachel asked.

I nodded. “What did you say that made him raise his eyebrow at you?” Roxy asked.

“Nothing…”

“Right… nothing… Does this nothing come in a Joe shaped package?” She smiled.

I laughed at her. Just as we were finishing up the appetizers, our dinners were being served. It took two more servers to bring a variety of sides to the table. The excitement at the table was tangible, though no one said a word. I sat back and sipped my drink awaiting everyone’s first bites. Moments later there were ooh, ahhs, and “Oh my god, you have got to taste this” being exclaimed from chair to chair. I laughed as Tommy stole bites from Rachel. Drew attempted to get a bite of Roxy’s dinner; she slapped the steak knife out of his hand. That made me laugh even harder.

Bobby came back over to the table. “How does everything taste?”

“Can I marry you?” Rachel asked.

“HEY!” Tommy exclaimed.

Bobby had a good chuckle. “Let me ask my wife about that…”

“Everything is delicious, Bobby. Thank you.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Don’t forget to save room for dessert…”

“DESSERT?!” “Rachel exclaimed. Everyone finished their meals before the tray of dessert was set before us.

When we had finished, and the dishes were cleared, Bobby came out one more time. “Ok Birthday Boy… you get the check.” Bobby set down the black check holder.

Drew’s face was priceless… a mixture of shock and fear. He opened it. There was a plain piece of paper with one message written on it:

_ Have a great Birthday. Keep my girl safe. _

_ ~Bobby Flay~ _

Drew was on his feet and shaking Bobby’s hand. “You got it!” He folded the piece of paper and shoved it in his pocket. The boys shook his hand, the girls gave him a hug, and we posed for a group picture.

“You promised no judgments… so go be nice.” I half scolded Bobby as everyone gathered their things. He walked over to Joe and the two shared words and followed it up with a much heartier, much friendlier handshake.

“You guys have a great time at the show… Go check in with the valet. They’ll make sure you get over to the Wynn before the show starts.”

“Thank you again, Bobby. See you for Thanksgiving?” He winked and waved before I walked out of the restaurant. The six of us, now stuffed, walked in pairs through the busy casino. As we approached the valet he whistled. A suited chauffeur opened the door to the stretch limousine in the middle of the porte-cochere.

“No FREAKING way!” Roxy yelled as she and Drew jumped up and down. “We get a limo… a freaking stretch limo!”

“We better get an amazing thank you gift for Bobby,” Rachel exhaled. We all climbed in and were served champagne. I looked at Joe, who raised his glass to me. Our flutes clinked. He seemed much more relaxed after his conversation with Bobby. We each took a sip, and then shared a quick kiss.

We had just enough time to finish our glasses of bubbly liquid before we pulled to a stop at the Wynn. Roxy handed out our tickets and we went right into the show with just few minutes to curtain. We were shown to our seats, second row center. “This was all Nick… I had nothing to do with getting these seats,” I whispered in Joe’s ear, “I promise.”

He smiled. “Uh huh… I’m still checking your phone when we get back…”

Performers interacted with the audience seated in the round theater. I heard Nick’s voice call out something that sounded like a word. I scanned around for him. “There he is!” I pointed to Roxy. We both waved.

“He’s so adorable… I just want to fold him up and put him in my pocket!” She gushed.

“I’m pretty sure that can be arranged…” Rachel joked. The lights went out.

For an hour and a half we were entertained by tales of dreams. There was no dialogue, just music accompanied by dancing and a lot of acrobatics. The lights came back up. We all sat back in awe of what we had just seen. “Nicky said to wait here and he’d come meet us.”

True to his word, he did meet come meet us. He gave Roxy a big hug and kiss before turning to me. “Holly, how did you do it?!”

“Do what?”

“Every number, I’d look for you guys, and you’d be looking directly at me!” I shrugged. “Did you guys like the show?” Everyone began to speak at once telling Nick their favorite parts. He laughed before he excused himself to go change. He said he would call Roxy to see where we were. We went down to the Casino level. Everyone split up slightly to go play some games. Joe and I walked over to the roulette table.

_ I’ve never played roulette. I don’t even know how to play roulette. _

I stood just watching the rhythm of the table. Joe would put a couple chips down, the wheel would spin, the ball would stop, he’s get some chips back. I was a bit mesmerized by it. He’d lean over every now and again and give me a kiss on the shoulder or squeeze my hand. He’d explain in bits and pieces. I was trying to understand it all, but it still just seemed like people were throwing their money and hoping to be close. His hand ran over the small of my back and down to the other side, he slid me in front of him against the table. He handed me a couple chips, “Ok, pick a number.”

I looked over the numbers on the table. “Um… 22.” He nodded and directed me to place the chips on the numbered square.

“Nick’s is on his way. I told him to meet us here.” Roxy informed as the wheel started spinning.

“No more bets,” the dealer called out.

“So what have I missed?” Nick slipped in between me and Roxy.

“Dude! You missed the BEST dinner EVER!” Tommy exclaimed. I turned away from the table to listen to the recount of our meal.

“Twenty-two black wins…”

“OH MY GOD!” Joe yelled loudly. He grabbed my hand and picked me up. As my feet hit the ground he gave me the biggest kiss I had ever gotten in my life.

“Um…not that I mind that… but what did I do to deserve that?”

He positioned me in front of him at the table. “What number did you choose?”

“22”

“Look at the wheel Holly.” I looked. The marble sat at 22. I looked down at the felt square where I'd placed the bet. The dealer was pushing stacks of chips toward us.

I looked at the odds on the table.  _ Single number 35 to 1  _ “How much did you give me?!”

“Two hundred.”

“You put $200 down on  **_A_ ** number I just randomly selected?!”

“Actually, YOU put it down, I was already up $500… good thing you picked the right one…” He reached over me and started picking the chips up off the table. He started handing chips to me. “I can’t carry them all…” We finished collecting them before carefully untangling ourselves and turning around to our group.

“Holy crap! What just happened?” Roxy asked. “Where did those come from? And how many are there?!”

I naively shrugged. “I picked a winner…”

“I’ll say,” Drew laughed.

“And if I can do math, which I make no promises about… there should be about $7,000 worth…” Nick grabbed a bucket so we could make it to the cashier’s cage without losing any money. Before he turned the bucket over to the man behind in cage, Joe handed me a $100 chip. “What’s this for?”

“A reminder of tonight.” I closed my hand around and squeezed it.

He kissed my cheek, “You’re my good luck charm.” He quickly cashed in his chips. “You’ll be happy to know that your math was correct...”

Immediately Roxy, Nick, Tommy, Rachel, and Drew started touching me. “What the hell are you guys doing?!”

“Hoping the luck will rub off!” Roxy yelled!

“Sorry guys… she is all mine!” Joe wrapped his arms around me and swung me around.

Nick ran up behind me and pulled me away. “She was ours first!” He threw me over his shoulder and ran away from Joe. One of my shoes went flying. I screamed.

“Dress! DRESS! WATCH THE DRESS!!! Somebody find my SHOE!!!”

“I’m on top of it!” Roxy hollered as she scampered in the direction my shoe took off.

“You guys are going to get us kicked out of this casino!” Rachel exclaimed.

Joe ran up to Nick, turned him around and scooped me up and started walking away from everyone. “She’s mine now.”

“Looks like he’s gonna get lucky at more than just the craps table,” Nick elbowed Tommy.

Joe found a seating area and gently placed me gently in a chair. Roxy ran over and hand my shoe to Joe, who was on his knee beside me. “Cinderella has thrown a shoe.” He laughed. I extended my leg. “M’ Lady...” He smiled and slid my shoe on my foot. His hand ran up my calf. I snaked my legs around him, maneuvering him between my thighs. I reached for him, my fingers running to the back of his neck. I pulled his face to mine.

Very softly I whispered in his ear. “If I’m Cinderella, does that make you Prince Charming?”

“Only if you’d like me to be…”

_ Did I just have an aneurysm? Did he just say that? Where did the air go? I can’t breathe. I can’t move. Come on Holly Cassidy Carmichael… BREATHE! Move! Do something! _

I turned my face toward his. Our eyes were locked. My hand grazed his cheek. “I would like.” Our mouths came together. His lips parted slightly, I matched it.

“Let’s blow this popsicle stand,” Nick announced as the five of them came closer to us.

Joe stood up and extended his hand toward me. I took it and he assisted me to my feet. “Hey Holly, do we still have the car?” Drew asked.

“I’m not sure… but we’ll find out in a few.” We all sauntered our way to the valet. The limo sat in the middle of the porte-cochere. Our driver quickly opened the door as we weaved our way between taxis picking up and dropping off guests.

“Damn Holly! A celebrity chef makes you dinner AND you have a limo! I really missed out!”

“I’m sorry Nicky…” I reached out to pat his back. “It was all filler until we could come see your show.”

We all climbed in and got comfortable. “Ok Social Director, Julie Mccoy… where to next?” Roxy asked.

I grabbed Drew’s arm to look at his watch. “Nicky, you pick.”

He eagerly crawled toward the opening that separated us from the driver and gave him instructions. “Holly, you are going to LOVE this place.” The driver headed toward the end of the strip. We stopped at a plain, non-descript white hotel. The valet opened the door. We all filed out. Another attendant held open a huge, heavy wooden door. It was dark inside, just some dim ambient lighting. My mouth dropped open as I stepped further in. The walls we lined with every piece of classic art that one could think of. The lobby was a veritable maze of sculptures, over-sized leather chairs, and in the middle stood a beautiful grand piano. “See I told you.”

We stepped even further in. There was a beautiful Italian fountain in the middle of the hotel’s lobby. “Oh Nicky, this is GORGEOUS!” We all shuffled along completely agape at the paintings… all reproductions of course, but severely impressive to say the least.

“Look up,” Joe directed.

I raised my eyes, my head followed. My gasp was audible to everyone around us. One hand flew up to cover my mouth, the other squeezed his. “ _ The Rehearsal  _ my favorite Degas.” I breathed. “Oh my god I want to stay here! Can you imagine what the rooms look like?”

Nick led us to the lounge on the opposite side of the lobby. “Hey Mark,” he gave one of those secret guy handshakes to the man at the door.

“Hey Nick! Brought the whole gang tonight, huh? The corner’s open for you.”

“Thanks man!” Nick had Roxy by the arm as we all followed through the dark. He pulled back a velvet curtain to reveal plush velvet covered gilded antique couches. A dark haired woman approached us. Joe stood up and spoke to her for a moment. She turned around with a smile. A bar back came out carrying a champagne bucket and stand. The waitress returned with two bottles of Cristal. She placed one in the bucket before she popped open the other bottle. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Well… mostly the roulette wheel and Drew’s birthday.”

We watched as glasses were poured and then handed to each of us. “A toast!” Nick decreed. “To Drew, for being one of the best friends a guy can have. To Joe - for funding this delicious expensive bubbly. To Tommy and Rachel, who relationship is one, we all love and envy. To Holly, for well… everything you do. And lastly, to my lady… my love - my Roxy. The woman who is my first thought every morning and my last thought every night.” He stepped directly in front of her and kneeled by her side. “Agree to officially be my girlfriend and make me the happiest man in the world.” He pulled out a blue box.

_ EEP! A Tiffany box!! Roxy is going to lose it! _

Roxy, with a shaky hand set down her glass and answered the question with the nod of her head. He opened the box toward her to reveal a signature Tiffany silver bracelet with a heart and key lock charm. He carefully fit it to her wrist. She was about to unload tears of joy. She picked her glass up so we could finish Nick’s toast. Glasses clinked and cool, golden bubbly liquid was sipped. She leaned over to me on the couch. “I have a boyfriend now… a real, honest to God boyfriend.”

“Yes you do my love, yes you do.” I kissed her cheek.

“Now let's work on you...” She giggled.

As if he heard her, Joe was at my side. “I'm going to steal her from you,” he announced. He grabbed a bottle from the bucket, our glasses, and my hand. “Let's go.”

“Where are we going?” My question was ignored as he led me back out to the lobby. He let my hand go to fill our glasses. He sat down in one of the leather chairs, set the bottle on the table next to him before pulling me into his lap. I couldn't help but stare at all the artwork.  _ You're staring at reproductions of paintings when you are sitting in a beautiful man's lap? What is with you? Quit gawking, close your mouth, and pay attention to the man with the champagne!  _ Slowly my gaze drifted from the ceiling down to Joe. He smiled stupidly at me. “What?”

“Where do you go when you're looking at art?” My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at him. “You had the same look on your face at the spa when you were looking at that book. It's like you go somewhere else...”

“Where do you go when you sing? Physically, you're still on the stage but you aren't really there... your mind takes you somewhere else... to a memory, a feeling, your happy place. It's the same thing with art. The expressions, the brush strokes, the feeling evoked when I look at it. And I wonder...” I looked around the room and honed in on a statue of an angel. “I wonder how someone looked at a block of stone and create that.” I pointed to the statue. “I wonder how the artist saw an angel through the block. Or how one looks at a blank canvas and comes up with the Mona Lisa.” He lightly laughed as I took a sip from my glass. “What?”

“You are so beautiful...” he sighed. It was almost like a revelation for him. I held my glass to my lips in an attempt to hide my embarrassment. My gaze fell, breaking the eye contact between us. “What? What did I say?”

“Here you guys are!” Drew stumbled from the lounge out into the lobby. He took at me and the look on my face and knew right away. “Aw... Dude... I forgot to tell you... This one gets really embarrassed when you give her compliments... especially when she knows you mean them.” And then he wobbled away.

“Is that true?” He took the glass from my hand and set it on the table next to the bottle.

I nodded first. “Yes,” I finally answered after a few moments of silence. He reached for my hand, fingers lacing between mine. The hand  on my back slid up, over my shoulder, and to my neck. With a gentle touch, he pulled my face closer to his. The sweetness of champagne filled the space between us. His lips grazed over mine. My heart jumped. His eyelashes brushed my cheek. I shivered. He tenderly captured my bottom lip between his. My free hand moved up his chest as the kiss deepened. He opened his mouth, I followed his lead. His tongue tentatively slid over my lips. A soft moan escaped.  _ What was that? Did I just… _ Joe obviously heard my approval. He let go of the hand he’d been holding. His hands landed on either side of my face. With quiet strength, they directed my movements. Not that that I had any plans of going anywhere. Heat was rising from both of us. Our kisses became more fevered and passionate. Suddenly he broke away. “What?” Nick crossed the lobby and headed for the restroom. Joe watched him for a moment. “Again I say… What?”

“I’ll be right back…” Joe got up from the chair, nearly knocking me to the floor. I stood there for a second.

_ What the hell was that?! _

Drew came out of the lounge again, “Where’s J?”

“Um…” I mumbled still a little dazed. “He went that way.” I pointed the direction he walked.

“What happened?”

“I have no idea. We were here, in the chair like the last time you saw us… Well not exactly like the last time you saw us…”

“So you were kissing…” my bleary friend announced to the lobby… not like those around couldn’t have seen it for themselves.

“Um…Yeah,” I blushed.

“GOOD! And then…”

“And then he abruptly pulled back and got up… He said he’d be right back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics to "Gotta Find You" from Camp Rock. Performed by Jonas Brothers; 2008. Written by Andrew Dodd and Adam Watts


	3. That's Just the Way We Roll

_ You’ve got moves _

_ I’ve got shoes _

_ Let’s go dancing _

I opened my eyes to complete darkness. My phone was quietly vibrating under my pillow.  _ Dear God why did I schedule a 7 a.m. yoga class… oh yeah, because I like the morning and it was the only time I’d be able to do meditations before everyone else got up.  _ I rolled over; Joe was out cold on the other side of bed. I smiled to myself before carefully slipping out from under the covers and finding suitable workout clothes and my laptop in the darkness.

Thankfully a layer of clouds hung in the sky over the pool fending off the heat and the sun. Two yoga mats were already laid out with blocks and straps next to them. “Holly?” I nodded. “Good morning, I’m Michael. Ready for some yoga?” Again I simply nodded. I wasn’t awake enough to actually speak. I jogged over to the cabana to drop off my stuff, then back over to the mat to be led through positions. An hour passed in a blink. I thanked Michael for his time before heading to the cabana. I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, sat down at the table and pulled out my laptop. I opened up iTunes and updated my podcasts. I plugged in my headphones and clicked play

I finished listening just as the sun started to peek out from behind the clouds. The heat was coming, and it was coming fast. I packed up my things and headed back upstairs. The room was still. I headed over to the desk in the sitting room. I pulled my laptop back out, this time to do some work. My stomach growled. I picked up the phone and dialed room service. I requested an assortment of fruit and pastries as well as juices and coffee. I quietly opened the door to my room; it was dark and quiet. Joe was sprawled across the bed still asleep. The covers draped across his lower back; his hands were jammed under the pillow. My fingers itched to graze his bare skin. I pressed my lips together as I debated whether to let him sleep or not. I walked over to the edge of the bed and leaned over it. I swept aside the hair on his neck and placed a kiss on his warm skin. “You could be trouble for me...” I whispered before turning for the bathroom.

I grabbed a quick shower before the food arrived. I threw on a sundress and pulled my hair up in a ponytail before returning to my computer in the other room. I navigated my way to my work website and logged in to my email. I scrolled through event notifications and labor worksheets. And then a subject line caught my eye.

_ Celeb Dancing Show Wants You _

I clicked on it.

_ Hey Honey. Got a call from Celebrity Dancing. They’re looking for a new pro for next season… not the one that’s about to start, the one after that… One of their current pros is going to Vegas to do some new show there. I threw your name into the hat. Please think about it. I know you’d be fantastic. Don’t be mad at me, I know how much you want to get back into dancing. _

_ Hope you’re having a good time in Vegas! _

_ Love, _

_ Mom _

I sighed. Yes, I want to go back to dancing. I love to dance. I love to teach dance. That’s why I teach clinics at schools… but a celebrity dancing show? This was going to take some thought. Finally there was a knock on the door. Room service arrived! I let the server in, signed the slip, gave him a tip, and let him out. I grabbed a cup of coffee and some fruit before going back to the desk.

_ Mom, _

_ I will think about it… Have them call me. _

_ Holly _

I sorted through my other mail, responding here and there. My phone started ringing. I looked at the caller id. It was the office. “It’s before 10 on a Sunday and I’m in Vegas… who needs what?”

The person on the other end of the phone started laughing. “Right Holly… and you’ve been up since 7…”

“It was six forty-five, but who keeps track. What’s up Blair?”

“You requested 10 Cast Members for your event on Tuesday…”

“How many am I really getting?”

“Four…” she waited for my response.

I sighed. “I guess we’ll have to make do… Which schedulers have it?”

“I gave the request to Derek.”

“OK… I’ll give him a call and see what we can do.” We said our goodbyes. I ended the call and began dialing Derek’s number.

“Good Sunday morning. Thank you for calling the attractions schedulers. This is Derek, how may I help you?”

“Well good morning to you to, Derek.”

“Hey Holly! Wait… aren’t you in Vegas? Why are you calling me? You should be sleeping off the alcohol you drank a few hours ago… hopefully with some attractive young man next to you…”

I laughed. “Well he’s still asleep in the bedroom and the drinks were finished about six hours ago.” Derek started laughing. “And I’m calling because I just got off the phone with Blair who tells me I have six open shifts for my event on Tuesday.”

“Oh well that sounds like a problem…”

“Yeah… considering I didn’t even get half of what I requested…”

“I will take care of it… just send me the details… I’ve got a lot of people who only got scheduled three and four days.”

“Awesome. Thank you Derek. I will send that information as quickly as possible.”

“Thanks Holly. And really once you're send it to me, you really should get back in that bed with that man.”

“Will do...” I hung up the phone, slid it across the desk, and sighed loudly.

“Who is still in bed?”

I turned around in my chair. Joe stood by the table in his pajama pants picking grapes off the bunch and shoving them in his mouth. “What are you doing awake?”

“I could ask you the same question… I woke up and you were gone.”

“At the moment I’m trying to figure out my staffing debacle… hopefully Derek will take care of everything so when I get back in on Tuesday I won’t have to re-route my game plan. I’m sure he’ll get me at least two more bodies.”

“At the moment? What else have you done this morning while I was sleeping?” He walked over and sat on the edge of the desk right next to my laptop.

“I did some Yoga… I ordered breakfast.. and well… you know… Stuff.”

“Stuff, huh?” I nodded in response. “How about you finish your ‘stuff’ and then come meet me on the couch for a lazy Sunday morning…” He stood up and walked back to the table for a muffin and some coffee before going over to the couch. I watched him for a moment as he turned on the TV on and started flipping through the channels. I quickly drafted my email to Derek before logging off.

As I walked toward the couch, my phone started ringing the familiar sound of my father’s ring tone. “Hey Daddy! How’s Europe? Where are you?”

“Good morning Kitten. I’m in Rome. How’s Vegas? Mom tells me you’ve been lucky… Bobby tells me in more ways than one…”

Damn! I knew I should have made him promise not to tell both of them!

“Vegas is hot… You know how that goes…”

“They’ve been treating you well, I hope.”

“Yes of course, they have been spoiling us rotten!”

“I am so glad to hear that…”

“All right Dad, get to whatever it is you called for…”

“Did you answer your Mom’s email? Celebrity Dancing really wants you for the show. You could ask for a leave of absence from work. It’d only be for a few months…”

“Yes Dad, I told Mom to have them call me… but that’s not what you called about…”

“Tell me about the boy Holly… Bobby said you looked very cozy and smitten…”

“Before you freak out, it’s not what you think. Nothing has happened…”

“Kitten I know that… just tell me he’s a nice boy.”

“Yes Daddy. He’s been the epitome of a gentleman. If you looked up gentleman in the dictionary, you would find his picture.”

“When do Mom and I get to meet him?”

“Whoa Daddy… We’re nowhere near that stage. I promise when we get there you’ll be the third to know.”

“Third?”

“Well, we have to know it first. Wait… shouldn’t you be getting ready for dinner? You are nine hours ahead of us…”

“Yes Kitten, I’m getting ready as we speak. Ok, I’ll let you go. Be good. Have fun.”

“I will. Have something delicious for me.”

“I’ll do better, I’ll send you a picture and then when we get home you and I will recreate it.”

“Ok. I love you Daddy. Come back to us.”

“I love you too Holly. You come back too!”

I hung up the phone and set in on the table as I flopped on the couch. “I take it that was your dad?”

“Good deductive skills there, Sherlock.”

“So where is he?”

“Rome…”

“So are you ever going to tell me about him?”

I climbed over him and snuggled up to him. “Do you ever watch the Cooking Channel?” He nodded. “Have you ever heard of…”

“Wait, wait… I figured it out! Rand Carmichael is your DAD?!” I nodded and waited for the usual response. “My MOM loves that show!”

“And there it is…”

“So what about your mom?”

“Mom? She’s a choreographer… you name it - she’s worked on it… TV, movies, and Broadway.”

“That explains the dancing…”

“And what about you? Your parents…”

“They're typical parents.”

“Siblings?” He looked at me like I was crazy. “Right. Forget I asked that.”

“You?”

“Two sisters. I’m the baby. The oldest has three kids – two girls and a boy… the boy is in the middle. She lives in Kansas; her husband is in the Army. The middle one is married, no kids… to Mom and Dad’s dismay.”

“You’re an Aunt… Aunt Holly.” Joe replied with a yawn. He picked me up and sprawled out across the couch. He repositioned me on top of him. I rested my head on his chest. His heart pounded in my ear. At least I think it was his heart, mine was beating so loudly it could have been mine…

Some time later Rachel and Tommy emerged from their room. “Ooh! Breakfast,” Rachel cooed. Roxy came in the front door with Nicky attached to her hand. The three of them slid into the chairs around the table. They poured juice and began chowing down.

“I LOVE Holly!” Tommy yelled as he saw the group at the table.

Drew walked out at the same time, seeing Joe and I now asleep on the couch. “Ssssshhhhhh! They’re sleeping!”

They all tip-toed over to the back of the couch and peered over it. “Awww… they’re so cute!” Roxy squealed.

“And awake,” I mumbled. All five of them ran away. I shifted to the edge of the couch and pushed up to see where they ran off to. I rubbed Joe’s chest. “They’re all awake now…”

“I know,” he whispered. I dropped my head back on his chest. He kissed my forehead. “Think we should get up?”

“No. I think we should ignore them and lay here until they all go away.”

“I’m ok with that.” It took all of four seconds for the five of them to jump on the couches around us.

“Sooooo…. What’cha doin’?” Roxy asked us.

“We were discussing socio-economic effects of the ‘Tween demographic.”

“Wow, big words AND you kept a straight face. I am so impressed Holly,” Drew commented.

“Well, everyone needs to go get dressed we have a surprise for everyone,” Nick announced.

“What kind of surprise?” Tommy asked.

Roxy bit her lip, the excitement about to erupt within her. “Oh just go… get your swimsuits on and get back out here! No more questions!” Everyone else hopped up. I lazily slid off the couch and grabbed Joe by the wrist and pulled him to a sitting position. I walked away and did as instructed.

Twenty minutes later we stood outside “The Secret Garden of Siegfried and Roy and Dolphin Habitat” at the Mirage. A short blonde woman walked up to us. “Hey Nicky! Everyone here?” We all nodded. “I’m Bonnie; we are going to go spend some time with the dolphins today.” Drew was practically jumping up and down. We followed the woman to a back corridor through the filtration system. We trampled down a set of stairs and ended up in a room under the water. Glass separated us from the dolphins. We all sat down and stared in awe. Bonnie talked us about the dolphins in the tank before she led us back out. “Ok guys, grab a life vest and get ready to get in the water.”

We all did as we were told as we stood at the edge a smaller tank adjacent the larger public display. Gingerly, we slid into the cold water and hung on the sides. A dolphin swam up beside me. I giggled. “Holly goes first,” Nick decreed.

“Ok then, Holly let’s go.” She and I swam out a few yards until I was in the middle of the tank. “Just stay right here and look at Nick.” She pointed over to where my friend stood at the water’s edge. He counted to three. As the camera flashed the two dolphins pushed their noses into my cheeks.  _ I got dolphin kisses! _ “Who is going to be next?” We all took turns swimming with the dolphins, having them do a trick with us as Nick took pictures. An hour later, we were saying goodbye to the short lady and climbing into a mini-van taxi.

I leaned over to Nick and kissed his cheek. “Thank you Nick that was the best surprise EVER!”

“Drew, I need to hang out with you guys more often!” Joe announced.

“If I were you, I’d want to hang out with us too! I mean you get celebrity chef dinners, swimming with dolphins, and the girl too!” Drew retorted.

“It’s not always like this. Mostly we're just normal people who occasionally do extraordinary things.” I warned.

“Well it’s been awesome!”

“Is anyone else hungry?” Rachel asked. There was a resounding response.

As we sat around a table at a food court in Caesar’s, talk turned to what we were doing for the evening. “Please… can we please go dancing?” Rachel begged.

“I’m with her,” Roxy agreed.

“Me too!” I agreed.

“Gentlemen, I think we’re going dancing!” Tommy spoke. Rachel started doing a happy dance in her seat as she finished her lunch.

The sun had long set on the strip. We strapped on our dancing shoes and headed out for night life. “Wait; can we go watch the water show?” I asked. We all trekked across the street to the large pool of water in front of the Bellagio just in time for the opening notes of “Luck Be a Lady Tonight.”

Joe wrapped his arms around me. His chin lightly rested on my shoulder. I could feel his smile widen with every ooh and aah I made. Tears were welling in my eyes; it was just so beautiful with the lights and the water and the music. The final blasts of water fell to the surface. Joe kissed my cheek as one tear silently fell. He turned me around and stared me in the face. His expression was full of wonder. “I’m fine… I’m just a big sap.” A laugh forced a second tear from my eye. His thumb caught it before he kissed the trail that ran down my cheek.

“You are more than fine. You are F-I-N-E!” That made me laugh even harder. We grabbed a cab down to the club. Nick took us past the line with another one of those secret guy handshakes. The bass was thumping through my chest. “Would you like a drink?”

“Yes please… Vodka and Redbull…”

“Wow! Going all out tonight are we?”

“No, just want to stay on my feet!” I smiled. “WAIT!” He stopped. “Will you hold these please?” I handed over my lipstick, id, and key. He accepted them with a smile. Roxy and Rachel also deposited their things with a boy before the three of us turned to the dance floor. The boys weaved their way through the writhing bodies to get our drinks to us. I took a drink and smacked a kiss on Joe’s cheek. “Thank you…” I took another big gulp. The boys decided to head up to a booth upstairs. I smacked his ass as he turned away.

He turned back to me. “Do that again and I just might like it…” I smacked him again, this time on the other side before grabbing a handful of cheek. “It’s going to be like that tonight, is it…” He smiled. I took another gulp and handed him back my empty glass.

“Dancing now…” I smiled as I started shaking my bootie to the music.

He pointed up to the upper level. “Well we’ll be up there… watching…”

“Ooh… you like to watch, huh?” I winked. He laughed before going to join the boys. I went back to dancing. True to his word, Joe and the boys sat overlooking the floor where we danced. Every 20 minutes or so… Like I keep track of time while dancing… a pair of them would bring us drinks. I lost count after the 6th, and I was ok with that.

The girls and I did not notice a man at the far side of the dance floor intently watching us. He was older; dressed in clothes from a decade ago. How we missed that I will never know. He worked his way closer to us. It wasn’t until he was intruding on our dance space that I saw him. I grabbed Roxy’s and Rachel’s hands and pulled them away from the creepy guy. We’d casually dance away from him; he’d dance – if you could call his gyrating dancing – closer to us. We’d moved halfway across the floor before I looked up to where the boys were seated. Drew stood alone against the railing with a very stern look on his face. My heart started to beat faster. I nervously looked for someone who worked in the club, a security guy, a server, anyone! And then there was a firm warm wall behind me. I looked at the girls, Tommy had his arms wrapped around Rachel, and Nick had grabbed Roxy by the hand and started spinning her around. “You three are moving to the other dance floor,” Joe spoke in my ear. Slowly, I nodded my head. The six of us moved off the dance floor. Nick stopped to talk to a security guy who was now glaring at the creepy man.

The boys led us to where they had been sitting. “Are you all ok?” Drew yelled over the music.

“It was one guy we could have taken him…” Roxy dismissed.

“I know you could have, but humor us and stay up here…” he requested.

“But… But… But…” the three of us tried to find an argument. The four guys were resolute. I knew Tommy, Drew, and Nick wouldn’t budge on it.

I tried to pout at Joe. He dropped his arms over my head on my shoulders. “You’ve got something sticking out here… let me get that.” He smiled before he captured my protruding lower lip with his teeth. He released it in exchange for a kiss. “Now, how about you and the girls go back to dancing?” He nodded toward the smaller floor a few feet away.

I cocked my head to the right. “I guess… but it’s going to cost you.” I pressed my body to his, placing my hands on his hips. My body swayed against his to the beat of the music playing. My hands floated from his hips to his ass. I pulled him even closer to me. One of his hands left its resting place on the small of my back and reached for my hair. He grabbed my ponytail and pulled. I gasped as my head went back. His mouth attacked my neck.

_ Mmmmm... Yeah... Must get closer. _ Joe's hands grabbed my ass and lifted me up. I instinctively wrapped my legs around him. “Want to get out of here?” He breathed in my ear.

“Mmm-hmmm... yes,” I replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "That's Just the Way We Roll" performed by Jonas Brothers; 2007. Written by Joseph Jonas, Kevin Jonas Ii, Nicholas Jonas, and William James Iii Mc Auley .


	4. After the Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "After the Rain" performed by Nelson; 1990. Written by Matthew & Gunnar Nelson, Tanner, Rick Wilson.

_After the rain washes away the tears_  
_All the pain only after the rain_  
_(Can) you live again_  
_Whoa! Whoa!_  
_After the rain you'll see the sun appear to light the way_  
_Only after the rain, can you hope to find true love again_

 

It was 4:30 in the morning when the alarm clock went off. I sat straight up in bed. Waves of exhaustion rolled over me. It took us hours longer to get home from Vegas than it should have, thanks to an accident in the middle of NOWHERE!!! By the time I got home it was 11p.m.

I threw the covers back and put my feet on the floor. I shuffled down to the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot before heading for the shower. I let the water cascade over my head, hoping it would help wake me up. I dressed, grabbed my coffee, and was halfway out the door when my cell phone rang. Without looking, I answered it. “Special Events Operations, this is Holly…”

“Aren’t we professional?” Joe’s voice rang out.

My heart flip-flopped in my chest and a smile planted itself on my face. “What are you doing up so early?”

“I just wanted to make sure you got up ok… you looked exhausted last night. Did you get any sleep?”

“Yeah… some… I’m up and on my way to work, though I would really rather be in bed asleep… which is what you should be doing…”

“Ok… fine… I’ll go back to sleep. Have a good day. I’ll call you later.”

 

 

When I walked into the Events office to find my co-worker, Steve, sitting in the middle of the room polishing his shoes. He looked up as I dropped my purse on my desk. I threw myself in the chair next to him. “Wow… looks like someone had a good time in Vegas…” he teased.

“TOTALLY worth it!”

“What’s his name? And how much did you win?”

I played coy. “I have no idea what you are talking about…”

“Liar,” he called my bluff and I spilled all the details. “Oh little girl… have we taught you nothing… you never go dancing the night before you leave! You should have gone Saturday night…”

“You guys taught me not to pay for things when I can get them for free…” Steve shrugged. “Suppose we should go take a look at the set up before we meet up with our crew?”

“Yeah… probably,” he replied. The two of us started attaching all of our electronic devices and then headed out. This morning was a radio “listener appreciation” breakfast. Tables were set up on one side of the venue, with buffets beside them. I waved over to the promotions team as they chatted with the D.J. from the station.

“Hey T.C. how’s it going this morning?” I asked.

“Good morning Holly, good to see you out here!” He gave me a quick hug. “Hey Steve, keeping her in check?” He teased as he shook my partner’s hand. He gave us the basic rundown of what they wanted from the marketing and promotions aspect, we gave him the run down of our operation game plan. Everything seemed in order. Steve and I located our crew, gave them the plan, and put them in position. We re-convened with T.C. for a little breakfast.

“So Holly… Tell us about the guy?” Steve spoke between bites of bacon.

“There’s a guy? When did there become a guy?” T.C. asked.

“Over the weekend… in Vegas…”

“I met a guy… big deal… why is my social life the primary topic of discussion?”

“Don’t get upset about it. We’re just giving you a hard time…”

“Well stop it!” I was really starting to wonder what these people really thought of me.

“Oh Holly, take it easy. You just have been all work and very little play for a long time… the young men of the Resort will be sad to hear that you may be dating someone. Especially someone they can’t compete with…”

“Again… just met him four days ago…” I sighed loudly. The event Guests came in. They ate. They got pictures and autographs with their favorite radio hosts. They took off to go on rides before the rest of the park opened for the day. Steven and I thanked our crew and dismissed them before heading back to our office.

I sat at my desk preparing notifications and scheduling requests for future events. I’d been through two meetings and a walking tour of an upcoming private party. It was almost four. “Get out of here already… you’re practically asleep on your keyboard.” That was all Steve had to say. I quickly packed up my things and headed for the hills. As I walked toward my car, I grabbed my phone to send a group message to my friends.

 

_Hey guys! Poker night at my house this Thursday… I’m making dinner! Let me know if you’re gonna make it! Bring your swimsuits!_

 

Almost instantly I started getting responses from everyone. Before the buzzing was done, I was expecting 10 people. Now to figure out the menu…

I called my dad. “Hey Kitten, what’s going on?”

“I need some help… Everyone is coming over for dinner Thursday night. I need the number for your fish guy.”

“What are you making?”

“I was thinking some sort of skewer… shrimp and scallops would be the best for this group.”

“How many are coming?”

“Well, ten have confirmed…”

“I’ll see what I can do. I’ll call you back.” Click. Ok, as much as it can sometimes having famous TV chef as your dad really does come in handy. As I pulled into the driveway, he called back. “Thursday afternoon, you’ll have to swing by Franc’s. They’ll have everything prepped for you, so you should just have to cook the skewers and heat up your sides.”

“You are the best Dad! I love you.”

“It’s gonna cost you when I get back.” I laughed. He always says that.

 

On Thursday, I left work and headed to the restaurant. I walked in the kitchen. “Ah… ma petite ‘olly!”

“Chef Franc!” I threw my arms around the portly Chef du Cuisine.

“You look good, ma chère! Your Papa asked me to prepare Les Fruits de Mer for you.” He yelled for a sous chef to get everything for me and to put them in my car. “Bon! I think you are ready to go. If you need any ‘elp you just call Franc, oui? What am I saying? You know what to do!”

“Oui, Franc, I will call if I need any help. Merci beaucoup!” I ran out of the kitchen and back to the car. I took the raw food home before I could go to BevMo to get wine for dinner. An hour later, I stood in the kitchen ready to cook. All I had to do was assemble the sides and dessert…all the hard, time consuming parts were done for me.  
Roxy was the first to show up with bottles of wine in hand. “Hey Schmoopie!” She gave me a quick hug before she headed over into the large open kitchen. “So what are we eating?” She opened the refrigerator and saw dinner waiting. “Ooh… yum! I swear Holly; I have no idea where you find time to do everything you do? I mean really! You work 50 plus hours a week and you can still find time to create this meal.” I just shrugged.

 

“Holly? You home?” Drew came through the front door and held it open for Tommy – who was juggling two cases of beer.

Roxy and I poked our heads out, “Yeah, we’re over here…”

The door slammed shut. “Sorry!”

“Is the cooler out back?” Tommy asked.

“Yep,” I replied as I assembled a quick veggie platter. “Watch the knife,” I warned as Drew wrapped an arm around my waist and reached for a celery stick. “HEY!”

The front door opened again. “Honey… I’m home!” More friends came in. “What’s for dinner?”

The sun still blazed in the late afternoon sky. I lounged on a chair with a glass of wine as friends gathered in and out of the pool. “Hey Holly, this guy claims he knows you.” Everyone within earshot turned to look at the back door. She stepped to the side, Joe stood behind her.

“JOE!” Drew, Tommy, Rachel, and Roxy yelled.

“Man, I was wondering when you were gonna get here!” Drew called from the water. “Grab a beer and get out here!” I turned and glared at my friend. “Or maybe you should say hi to Holly and the rest of us will be over here in the pool.” I flipped back around and bounced to the door. Joe opened up his arms just in time to stop me from bounding right past him. He wrapped me up in a hug. My smile was ear to ear. “Hi,” I whispered. “I’m glad you could make it.” I crushed a kiss on his mouth.

“Me too.” He pushed me back a step. I could hear the chatter behind me, but I didn’t care. I grabbed his hand and pulled him to the kitchen.

“What can I get you to drink?”

“I’ll get something in a little bit. “

“How about a tour?”

“Sure.”

I led him from room to room: living room, dining room, bathroom, guest room with bathroom, and then to the upstairs… my room, guest rooms, office, another bathroom… We headed back downstairs. “And there you go… the complete nickel tour.”

“What’s through there?” He pointed to the closed French doors on the opposite end of the great room.

“Through here?” I walked to the doors and pushed them open.

“You have your own dance studio?” He walked in and surveyed everything. His hand ran over the barre attached to the wall.

“Doesn’t everyone?” I laughed.

The look on his face was a mix of confusion and amusement. “I think you’re joking, but I can’t exactly tell…”

“Of course I’m joking.”

“So why is it that dance is your passion, but not your profession?”

I scrunched my face up and shook my head. “Mostly, as dumb as it sounds, I don’t want dance to become work. I love it too much. I mean I love my job, but it’s just that my job… and I never want to see dance as a job.”

“But couldn’t one argue that if you truly love your work, it’s never a job?”

“I suppose one could argue such a thing…”

“What is that?!” He exclaimed at the 15 foot vertical chrome pole.

“Exactly what it looks like. A pole. A stripper pole, if you will.”

“Wait? Is there something I should know?”

“Yes. It’s a really great total body workout and amazing for the core.”

“Uh huh, Annndddd???”

I kicked off my sandals. My hand wrapped around the silver pole and took a spin around. My calf and shin comfortably squeezed the cold metal. I climbed up about halfway. I wedged the pole between my ribs and bicep. I pulled my legs up and around until I was hanging upside down by my knee. “It doesn’t have to be dirty.” I kicked up and switched legs.

He started at me with his arms crossed. “But it can be, right?”

“HOLLY!!!! We’re hungry!!! When’s dinner?!” Roxy called before peeking her head in. “Oh!”

“Ok.” I crossed my legs and slid down to the floor. Roxy scampered away. Joe helped me up. His arms wrapped around me. I moved closer to kiss him. My lips hovered over his without touching. “Yes,” I hissed. My bottom lip swiped his. “It can be dirty.” I turned out of his arms and headed for the kitchen.

 

Two weeks passed by in a blink. Things got really hectic at work with a bevy of small events, V.I.P. escorts, and viewing of the Resort entertainment offerings sprouted up on the calendar with very little notification. I barely saw my friends, let alone Joe. We talked or texted every day.

The phone on my desk began to ring. I looked up at the caller id. A smile spread across my face. “Ooh… I know that smile, it’s the boy…” Steve teased.

I reached for the receiver with a laugh. “Hey you…how’s your day going?”

“Hi Beautiful, I know you’re probably really busy, so I’m gonna keep this quick…”

“I have time for you.”

“Are you available for dinner tonight?”

I clicked over to my calendar. “I’ve got a parade viewing, but that should be done by eight…”

“Pick a place, make a reservation, and I’ll meet you there by… how does 8:30 sound?”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll see you then. Have a good day.”

“You too, babe,” he hung up the phone. I pushed the release button and then another line. I quickly dialed the number for dining reservations and booked a table.

“So… dinner with the new guy, huh Holly?” Steve asked.

“Yep… “

“Why don’t you get him clearance and meet him here? Better yet, you could have him meet you on the parade route.”

“I’ll save that for another day when I have an actual crew so I can shirk my responsibilities and flirt.” I was only half joking.

“Oh please Holly… You forget how long I’ve known you… “

“I don’t forget.” I grabbed my cell phone and texted Joe the information.

The time could not go fast enough. I sat through a planning meeting, I answered emails, I even went out into the Areas to check the supply cabinets – I tried to find anything and everything I could do to make the day go by faster. Finally, it was time to go to the parade viewing. I headed up to Fantasyland to meet the catering guys. “Hey Otis,” I saw the big man who usually put together the V.I.P. setup. “What’s on the menu today?”

“Hey Holly,” his smile beamed as he shook my hand. “Looks like this is going to be an easy one… We’ve only got 20 people. Just snacks.”

“Nice. I love when you tell me it’s going to be easy!” I double checked the viewing area and waited. I kept checking my watch. The parade was already stepping off from Main Street. I was starting to get nervous that the group wouldn’t make it. I started pacing the parade route looking for them. As the glow of the parade was noticeable, they finally showed. I sighed in relief as I corralled them in. Thirty minutes later, all that remained were some dropped kernels of popcorn. I hurried back to the office to freshen up before dinner.

I weaved my way through Downtown Disney to get to the restaurant. My smile broadened as I spotted Joe. “Come here often?”

He turned around slowly. He held me out at arm’s length. “This is what Business Holly looks like?” I nodded. He leaned it and kissed my cheek. “So how was your day?”

“Piece of cake. Shall we go upstairs?”

“I thought we might have dinner before dessert...” Joe winked. He took my hand, we walked over to the restaurant and up the stairs to the hostess. We were seated in front of a huge window. Our waiter came by to tell us about the Chef’s specials and to get our drink order. Joe perused the wine list and selected one of my favorite bottles of Cabernets. “I meant to ask you…do you know the chef here too.” I winked in response. “Is that a yes?”

Our waiter returned with our bottle of wine. He presented it to Joe to view it, then of course uncorked it and handed that over as well. He finally poured a sip for approval. Once the bottle was deemed acceptable, the waiter poured me a glass. “Are we here for anything special this evening?”

“We are celebrating.”

“We are? What are we celebrating?” I asked.

“Well, it’s kind of good news and kind of not so good news…”

Our waiter still stood beside the table. I quickly selected my entrée and gave my order. Joe followed suit and the older gentleman left us. “Bring on the not so good news.”

“I’m going to New York for a few weeks.”

“That’s it?”

“Well that’s not quite the reaction I was expecting.”

“That’s kind of your job, it is your job, right? I just figure that at some point you’re going to have to spend time in a studio, and do the whole press thing, and go on tour. So while I’ll miss you, and I really will miss you, it’s kind of something I have to expect and be ok with if you’re going to be in my life.”

“Yes, it is for work stuff,” he answered before he pushed his chair out and slid mine as close as he could. My knees were between his. I took both my hands in his and kissed them. “This is what I’d like to do… I want to spend the weekend with you. Clear your schedule for the next three days, can you? We can go stay in a hotel, or just stay at your house, but I just want it to be me and you.” He brushed his cheek against mine. My smile broadened as he placed a gentle kiss right over my dimple. “Please?”

“Let’s make a compromise… I’ll give you tomorrow and Saturday, but I have to go to work on Sunday.”

“That sounds fair.”

“And let’s stay at my house. We can lock ourselves away from the outside world. We can stay in bed all day or just lounge around the house. We can pretty much order anything and have it delivered.”

“I think I like that idea.” We were interrupted by food. I didn’t realize just how hungry I was… one moment I was staring at short ribs and polenta, the next the plate was empty. “Did you even taste that?” Joe laughed. I set my fork down and frowned at him pitifully. “When did you eat last?” I sat up a little taller. I opened my mouth to speak. And then I realized I had no clue what the answer to that question was. I eyed the dessert tray as it passed us. “Would you like something for dessert?”

“Well you did say we were celebrating… and that calls for dessert! Wait... you never gave me the good news...” Joe flagged down our waiter and ordered a sweet treat. Suddenly, the lights in the restaurant dimmed slightly and the music changed. I looked over my shoulder out the window behind us. “Ooh, fireworks.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him from the chair out onto the patio.

The crowds below us stopped to watch the colors bursting in the air. I stood against the railing; Joe stood directly behind me. His hands came over the tops of mine as I held on the bar. I pulled them off and wrapped his arms around mine. My head leaned up against his chest. His head lowered to kiss my temple. I inhaled deeply and let out a sigh. Right here, right now… I was completely content. “Sigh?”

I nodded my head before turning around in his arms. “Yes sigh… a happy contented sigh. Life doesn’t get any better than moments like this.”

“You could make me believe in magic…” I wound my hand up his chest and around to the back of his neck. I gently pulled him down to me. Our lips met with the same intensity as the fireworks behind us. Our kissing became more fevered and breathing became more and more difficult. I pulled back completely breathless. The bursts of light made little golden flecks in his eyes. Oh yeah, there goes all my strength. I pushed back into another kiss, this time my hands began to slide over his shirt, around his sides, and across his back copying the same rhythm of our kiss. This time he pulled back.

The last shells fireworks went of, creating a near blinding white light. “Should we go back to that dessert?” He asked as the smoke cleared. He took my hand and led me back inside.

 

Joe pulled into the driveway. “Do not touch that door,” he warned as I reached for the handle. I pulled my hand back and released my seatbelt instead. He quickly came around to my side, opened the door, and held his hand out for me. “ I smiled. We walked into the house. “Do you always leave the lights on?” He asked noting the glow coming from other rooms.

“Of course not silly. It’s all automated.” I took my phone out and moved my fingers over the screen. Lights dimmed and grew brighter. Fans turned off and on. Even the stereo and TV came on.

“How did you do that?”

“I have smart friends...” I handed over my phone and he stared at the application.

“So you can just turn things off and on as you choose from anywhere?”

I nodded my head. “Yeah... pretty much.” He stood in the hallway still playing with my phone. I continued to the kitchen.

I scanned through the mail. Bill, bill, resident. I could see Joe still standing in the hallway with my phone. _Hmmm let's play a little game..._ I passed him, running my hand over his ass. I squeezed his cheek. _Mmmmmmmm_. I gave him a quick tap before heading to the bedroom. I stepped out of my shoes at the bottom of the stairs. Half way up, I stopped. I looked over the handrail. He hadn't moved. “Ahem,” I cleared my throat.

“In a minute,” he responded. I unbuttoned my blouse and watched it float down to the first floor. I continued up as I unhooked my bra. I draped it over the bannister at the top of the stairs. My pants became a puddle at the bedroom door. I went about lighting candles.

“Hey! Wanna turn down the bedroom lights while you’re still playing with that thing?” The lights dimmed. I watched the flames flicker for a few moments. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower and stepped in.

By the time I was done, Joe had moved and was seated on the corner of the bed. I walked up to him, pushing my way between his legs. I grabbed my phone from him and tossed it behind me. His fingertips grazed the back of my thighs. My hands slid up over his shoulders sloughing his jacket off. He pulled his arms out of the sleeves before I threw it behind me. His hands slid up over my ass. My hands slid down his chest and pushed him back. He softly hit the mattress. I climbed up on the bed and straddled his hips. My hand instinctively reached under his tee shirt, exposing his stomach. His hand dug into my wet hair and pulled me down. His tongue pushed into my mouth. His other hand tore the towel away from my body. In a heartbeat he had me on my back, his clothed body pressed to my naked one. His kisses were voracious – nibbles and bites into soft flesh. His touch scorched my skin as it seemed to be everywhere at once – from my thigh to my breast then down my side. His mouth followed the direction of his hands... from my mouth to my neck to my breasts to my stomach. My heart pounded in my chest, blood rushed through my ears as he was perched at my hips – hands and head paused as if to ask permission to continue. I must have nodded or given him some positive response. He put my leg over his shoulder as his head dipped between my thighs. I gasped at the myriad of sensations swirling through me.

His fingers plunged into my core as his tongue encircled my sensitive nub. My hands dug into his hair as my breathing grew more and more shallow. I tried to slide back away from his sweet torture. His free hand gripped my hip. His eyes were on mine. Without words they told me I wasn't going anywhere until he was certain I was satisfied. I was lost in a cloud of euphoric endorphins when Joe kissed me with his smug little grin. I shivered as he ran his hand down my arms. He laughed. I shook my head and blinked back into the present. He was on his side next to me dropping light kisses on my shoulder.

I turned toward him. My finger ran down his still clothed chest and under the edge of his shirt. I began tracing shapes into the vulnerable span of skin below his belly button. My eyes watched my fingers. Subconsciously, I licked my lips. I had to taste him. I pushed him over to his back. I slid down the bed so I was positioned perfectly over his stomach. My mouth replaced my fingers. As I kissed and licked from hip bone to hip bone, my fingers deftly unbuckled his belt and unfastened his pants. Quickly, Joe sat up. He grabbed his shirt, hoisted it over his head, and flung it somewhere behind me. His hips then raised. In one fail swoop he shucked his pants from his body. I heard his belt hit the floor. Now unencumbered by pesky clothes, he relaxed against the pillows. I kept my eyes on his face as I hovered above him. Relaxation gave way to anticipation as my breath fanned out over the silky smooth skin of his member. The tip of my tongue glided over his shaft. A sound of yearning escaped his mouth along with all the air in his lungs. His jaw fell open. I smiled before I kissed his tip. My tongue snaked around his crown and then I took him in slowly and let him back out. He sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth. I moved up onto my knees, tossed my hair to one side, and took his cock in my hand. My hand slid up and down in an agonizingly slow pace. I sucked him into my mouth again, my head bobbing to the same rhythm my hand had started. I picked up the pace. His hands grabbed the sides of my face and encouraged me to go faster.

I closed my eyes and focused on the task at hand as Joe moaned and groaned his approval. His hand brushed my cheek. I looked into his face. He licked his lips. “Holly...” he started, “ I want to be inside you.”

_You don't have to tell me twice._

Immediately, I was on top of him my knees splayed on either side. I cautiously positioned him at my entrance. He grappled my hips and pulled me down on top of him. His cock ripped through me with a mix of pain and pleasure. We both gasped for air. We were still for a moment while our bodies conformed to each other. I made very short, slight movements forward and back. Joe watched the undulations of my body intently. Each stroke grew longer and faster. My veins coursed with an energy I hadn't felt in a long time.

Just let go.

My hands were flat against his chest. I threw my head back, hair wildly flying about as I could feel everything inside me tensing up. “That's it Babe... Yes.” His voice was soft, encouraging. Suddenly, there was an explosion deep inside of me. Everything but the feeling of his body disappeared. He sat up and kissed me softly. “You are so beautiful.” He whispered. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me down against his chest as he laid back down. He skillfully rolled us over, our legs tangled around each others'. He took my hands in his and pulled them over my head. His hips began pumping into me slowly. My hips raised and lowered to match his. His lips pressed into the side of my neck; I softly moaned knowing he would feel the vibration in his lips. I felt his smile widen against my skin. He moved faster, every muscle in his body tensed. I wrapped my legs around his torso and squeezed. He was nearing his release

I hummed in his ear. “Oh yeah... that's it... right there.” He clenched his jaw. He pumped even faster. The bed and I were both shaking beneath him. I could feel my own build up nearing its peak yet again. “Make me cum again,” I cooed. He looked down at me. “Don't stop!” I yelled. It was going to be a photo-finish. I couldn't tell which one of us was going to make it first. “Cum with me...” I purred into his ear. His hips bucked one more time. His hands tightened around mine. We both let out an exasperated breath. Joe collapsed on top of me. His breathing short and labored. I could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. His body shuddered as I stroked his back. “You ok?” I asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Meh, I've been worse,” he sighed. He looked up to see my stunned face. He started laughing heartily. I slapped him on the back and pushed him off me. “Holly, I'm just kidding.” He tried to snuggle up to me. I rolled over on my side and hid my face in a pillow to conceal my laughter. As my shoulders started to shake, Joe got worried. “Holly... don't cry. I was joking. That was amazing... you were amazing...”

I rolled back over. “Why the hell would I be crying? That WAS amazing!!” A wave of relief washed over his face. I showered his cheeks with kisses. “Thank you.” Joe wrapped himself around me.

“No, thank you.” He smiled against my ear. A contented sigh blew over my neck as he settled into sleep. “I love you Holly Carmichael,” he mumbled.

I tried to turn to face him but his arms squeezed tighter around me. “Good night.”

_Rain drops bounced off the pool’s surface. The flashes of lightening highlighted their movement. I lifted my wine glass to my lips as I stared out the back door. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Thunder echoed overhead. As i opened my eyes, two hands grasped my hips. Lips kissed my ear. “Come upstairs. Your bath is ready.” I smiled. The hands guided me out of the kitchen and to the stairs. Step by step, we climbed to the top. He took my hand as I stepped out of my shoes. As I entered the bedroom, I felt a cool breeze from the rain as it blew through the open balcony door. I got closer to the door and watched the rain. I took a sip from the glass still in my hand. “Let me help you.” His hand ran up my spine. He reached for my zipper and slowly dragged it down. I slid one side down my arm as I turned toward him. My seductive smile quickly turned into a scream. “What’s the matter Holly?” The wine glass fell and shattered on the threshold. Matt stood before me. Another bolt of lightning lit up his eyes. I started shaking. “We really can’t have nice things, can we?” He came toward me. I stepped backward. “Why are you freaking out?” My arms flew up ready to block him. He grabbed my forearms and pushed me out onto the balcony. Tears started running down my cheeks. I yelped as shards of glass pierced the soles of my feet. “Shut up. Just SHUT UP!” He continued to push me until my back hit the railing. I touched my face. I winced as I felt searing pain I hadn’t noticed before. I gasped for air. New-found pain rushed through my ribs. I wrapped my arms around me to contain it. “Oh my god. Just stop already. It isn’t that bad.” I coughed up sobs. “If you don’t stop, I will give you something to cry about.” My whole body shook. “Fuck it. I’m done with you.” He picked me up and threw me over the balcony._

I woke up before I could hit the water. I sat straight up in bed and clambered out. I pulled on my bathrobe and was backed up against a wall in a flash. Joe sat up in bed. He slid to my side of the bed. As he stood up, the room lit up with a both of lightning. My eyes went wide. I touched my face. No pain. My hand ran over my ribs as I took a deep breath. Nothing. “Holly?” Half-naked, Joe started toward me. “Honey? Talk to me. What is going on?” I darted past him to the balcony door. Rain instantly flattened my hair as I stepped out. I grabbed the balcony railing and stared over the edge. The rain pelted the surface of the pool. I pulled back, turned around, and dropped to my knees. I frantically started looking for remnants of glass. Joe stepped out on the balcony and got on his knees. “Babe, at least tell me what we’re looking for.”  
I looked up at him as lightning split the sky. “One, two, three, four, fi-,” Thunder rumbled. It startled me into speaking. “It was raining. And there was glass. And there was blood. And fighting. And my face hurt. And it hurt to breathe. And then he threw me over.” I started crying.

“Ok. Ok. Where did it hurt?” He asked. I touched my face. He held both hands up. “I'm gonna touch you.”

“No!” I screamed as I backed away.

“Ok. Ok. Ssshhhhh ssshhh ssshhhhh Can I just look?” I nodded. He crawled closer. His hands pressed against his thighs. His face got closer to mine. “I don’t see anything. Where were you bleeding?”

I shifted to sit. I pulled my legs out in front of me. “I stepped on broken glass.”

“I’m just going to look,” he stated. “I don’t see anything. Can I touch, just to make sure there aren’t any tiny pieces under the surface?”

“Ok.”

His hand wrapped around the top of one foot. He pressed the pad of his thumb into my foot. He repeated with the other foot. “I think you’re ok. Shall we stand up?” I nodded. He stood up first then reached out for my hand. My hand shook as I took his. He pulled me up. His arms wrapped around me. A hand rested on the back of my head. “That must have been one hell of a bad dream.” He was warm and wet and strong. Rain continued to fall. A flood of thoughts filled my brain. Tears started falling again. “Babe, babe, babe... It’s ok.”

I stepped out of his arms. “Oh my god. You must think I’m nuts.”

He kissed the top of my head. “You’re not nuts.” His arms grew tighter around me. “It doesn’t hurt to breathe, right?”

“No.”

“I think we should go back inside, take a hot bath, and go back to bed.”

“Maybe a shower instead?”

“Was there a bath in your dream?” I nodded. “Ok. Shower it is.” He took me by the hand and led me back inside. He walked us over to the shower. He reached in and turned it on. The stream of water went from cold to steamy. I untied my robe and let it fall to the floor.

I put my hands on the wall of the shower and let the water cascade over my head and down my back. The wall jets sprayed from every angle. His body pressed against mine as his hands wrapped around my wrists. I stood up straight as kissed the back of my shoulder. He wrapped my arms around me. I leaned my head back against his shoulder. I sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“It was a bad dream, There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

Except it wasn't a dream. It was a memory.


	5. She Works Hard for the Money

_ She works hard for the money _

_ so hard for it, honey. _

_ She works hard for the money _

_ so you better treat her right. _

The end of summer turned into fall, though you couldn't really tell by the weather.  It'd been three weeks since Joe left for New York.  I caught a couple TV appearances here and there, but I had been really busy.  I made it through two HUGE back-to-back event weekends – working nearly 70 hours for each of the last two weeks.  And now we were heading into Halloween Treats.  In no time it would be time for the Walt Disney World Christmas Special taping and Candlelight.  Then it would be January and time for Flashback.   _ Where did the year go?  Wasn't it JUST June? _

My cell phone started buzzing on my desk.  Text message.   _ “Hey Babe. Meet me in NY this weekend.  Miss u. Want 2 c u.” _

As I was about to start my reply to Joe, my desk phone rang.  “Hey Al, what's up?”

“Holly-Hobby, my love!  How are you?”  My cherubic manager greeted.

“What do you need me to do?”

“You know me too well.”

“Yes I do Al.  Now what is it?”

“Tom is sending you and Nate to Florida Wednesday night to check out their Halloween Treats, Food and Wine, and the Race for the Taste 5K.  It's a red-eye out of Long Beach.  You'll be staying at the Beach Club. And you come home on Monday.  I know it's short notice, but he only wanted the best on this one!  I know you'll do me proud! Just network and benchmark.  You're great at both of those things!”  He hung up the phone before I could get another word in.

Stunned, I went back to the text message I had yet to respond to.   _ “Won't make it this weekend.  Just found out I'm going to FL Wed. through Mon.  Miss u more.”   _  His reply was a sad face.   _ “I'm sorry babe, I wish I could make it.”  _  I returned.

Two days later I was on a plane to the other side of the country.  Let me say this.  I HATE FLYING.   That's not entirely true.  I don't mind flying.  It's landing that's the problem all thanks to a 1980's made-for-TV movie where the plane didn't stop at the end of the runway... it ended up in the Potomac River.  But there I was seat-belted, headphoned and blanketed as I strangled my travel pillow.  _ Please stop.  PLEASE stop.  PLEASE STOP.  _  I practically willed the plane to slow down and taxi to the gate.  I grabbed my one bag out of the overhead compartment and marched directly to the rental car counter. 

Once inside my vehicle, I punched the address of my hotel into my phone.  Between the chiming device and the road signs, I made it to the hotel as the sun rose.  I headed straight for check-in.  “HOLLY!”  I heard as I approached the counter.

_ Daisy Woo?  DAISY WOO!!!  _  I looked at my once upon a time fellow Cast Member.  “Oh my GOD!  DAISY!  How are you???”  I beamed as she practically came over the counter top to hug me. 

“I saw you had a reservation so I shift changed so I would be here when you checked in!  You look great!”  She squealed.  “Gosh I bet you're exhausted!  Here's your key.  Is that all you brought?”  She looked at my one bag.  “Wait right here.  I'll take you up. I kept a suite for you.” She ran around the end of the counter to meet me.  Proper hugs were exchanged.  She took my luggage from me and rolled it to the elevator.  “We HAVE to hang out while you're here!”  We glided to the 5th floor.  I handed her my key.  She opened the door.  “I'll let you sleep.”  She backed out of the room, putting the  _ Do NOT Disturb  _ sign in place.  The door clicked shut.

I grabbed my phone to text Joe. “ _Made it safely to Orlando.  @ The Beach Club_ _room 5691.  Going to sleep now. Kiss kiss.”_  I climbed up on the big king-sized bed and crashed.

I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing.  “Hello?” I yawned.

“Hey Holly, it's Daisy.  I'm sorry to wake you.  I've taken the liberty of making lunch reservations at The Captain's Grille at one o'clock.  I'll meet you in the lobby.”

I looked over at the clock.  It was almost noon.  I'd been asleep for five hours.  “Sounds good Daisy.  Thank you. See you downstairs.”  I hung up the phone and sat there for a moment.  I looked around to gain my bearings.   _ Suitcase... where's my suitcase?  I NEED to brush my teeth... and a shower.   _ I located my things and headed for the bathroom.  Once cleaned up and dressed and made my way down the elevator.  As she said, Daisy was waiting for me in the lobby having changed from her earlier turn-of-the-century New England garb.

“HOLLY!” She squealed.  She threw her arms around me.  “Oh my gosh!  What are you doing here?  How are you?  What's going on with you?” Her exuberance was a little overwhelming.  She chatted away as we walked over to the restaurant.  We were seated immediately. She nodded at the server from across the room.  Menus were handed over as our drink orders were taken.  Somehow between questions and answers we managed to select entrees and eat.  As we debated dessert, Daisy asked the question I wasn't sure how to answer.  “So... Do you have a boyfriend?”

_ Hmmm...  _ Joe and I hadn't discussed our status.  I never mentioned the three words he mumbled that night as he drifted to sleep.  We probably should have discussed it at some point in time.  I didn't want to rock the boat.  As the old saying goes “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.”  I took a sip of iced tea.  “I've been seeing someone for awhile.”

“Ooh... tell me all about him.”

“His name is Joe.  And before you ask, he doesn't work at the Resort.”  A new battery of questions began.  I did my best to answer her questions without giving too much information.  The only ones who really knew about us were our closest friends.  Joe hadn't even met my parents.

_ Hmmm… maybe we should do something about that.  _

The next day was packed with meetings and walking tours.  It was sweltering out.  “It’s the hottest October since 1934.” A little old woman commented.

_ Gee, that sure makes me feel better.  It’s 97 degrees with 97% humidity… I almost wish it would rain.  Wait, no I don’t.  It’d be nice while it was raining, but as soon as it stopped it’d be WORSE than it is now… _

I was just heading back to the hotel when I got a call from Daisy.  “Hey Holly, there’s a delivery for you.”

“I’m sorry… a what?”

“A delivery.”

I could feel my face contort into a look of confusion.  “Umm… Ok. I’m actually on my way back to the hotel.”

“You may want to hurry.  The delivery guy was told not to leave until you personally signed for it.”  She spoke. 

_ What?  Who does that? _  “I’ll get there as fast as I can.”  I punched the gas pedal and floored it all the way back.  I walked directly to Daisy at the Concierge desk.  “So where’s this delivery?”

She pointed to a huge arrangement of lavender colored Sterling Silver roses.  My jaw fell open. It was MASSIVE.  There were easily four dozen roses pointing every which direction.  I immediately shoved my nose into one of the flowers and inhaled deeply.  The card sat beside the vase on the countertop.  Small careful print was written in the exact center of the card.

_ I miss you more. _

_ ~J _

I looked around for a minute.  “Daisy?  Where is the delivery person?” Again she pointed to a man seated facing the desk.  I looked him over.  Jeans, tee shirt, sunglasses tucked in the neck of his shirt, and a baseball cap pulled down over his eyes.  He looked up at me.  My car key hit the floor.  He smiled crookedly.  I started running toward him with a shriek as he stood up.  I launched myself into his arms, my legs wrapping around him.  “What are you doing here?!  You’re supposed to be in New York!  Oh GOD!  How long have you been sitting there?”  I smacked kisses on his cheeks.

“Ahem…” Daisy cleared her throat behind me.  I snapped my head toward her.  She pointed to her nametag. 

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath. I looked down at my top… sure enough I still had my nametag on.  My legs slid down his body and straightened my clothes.  Joe laughed at me.  I quickly introduced them as I quickly removed my identity from my shirt.

Daisy didn’t flinch.  I knew she knew who was standing in front of her.  She shook his hand, smiled, then turned to me.  “So I’ll have those taken upstairs while you two go do whatever it is you’re going to do.” She winked before she walked away.

“Thank you, Woo.” 

“Oh Holly,” Daisy turned back.  I looked to her.  “You may want this…” She tossed the car key I had dropped minutes before.  I smiled at her and gave a quick wink.  She shooed us away with a hand gesture.

“Are you tired? Hungry? What would you like to do?”

“How much time do you have?  I mean I know you have work and stuff to do and I don’t want to distract you from that.”

I looked down at my watch, “I’m free until about 4:30.” He raised an eyebrow and smiled slyly. 

  
  
  


“Holly Carmichael's answering service,” Joe beamed at me as he answered the phone beside the bed.  “Oh!  Sorry!  Hang on.  She's right here.”  He pulled the phone away from his ear.  “I think it's your boss.” He whispered. 

_ Oh no… Oh GOD!  Great time to be playing around Holly!  I’m supposed to be here working. I shouldn’t have let him answer that phone! _

I sat up in bed, clutching the covers to my chest.  “This is Holly,” I did my best to sound professional though I certainly didn't look very professional at the moment.  I blew a few strands of hair away from my face.

“Holly, it's Nate.  Al called me a few minutes ago... There's been a slight change of plans.  I'm taking the Mickey's Not-So-Scary stuff.  You are covering all things Food and Wine Festival. Ok?”

 

“Yeah. Ok. That sounds good.”

 

“So your man came out for a visit – that was your man, right?”

I leaned back.  Joe wrapped his arms around me and rested his head on my stomach.  “No, Nate, I just let random men answer my phone... yes, of course it was Joe.”

_ Phew. I’m not busted or anything. Wait.  Why would I be? I am an adult. A grown-up even… good god, when did that happen?! Back to Nate! _

“OK so you and Joe, is it? Get out of bed, put some clothes on, and head down to Concierge.  There is a package waiting for you there from Al.”  Before I could protest or attempt to deny our current state, he was gone. 

“Everything OK?”  Joe mumbled from his spot.  I slid out from under him and started the search for clothes.

I grabbed the ponytail holder from the bedside table and pulled my disheveled hair back. “Everything's fine.  I'll be right back.”  I headed over to Concierge.  I was handed an interoffice mail envelope. I started to sift through the contents to find a guide to the Food and Wine Festival, two lanyards with credentials to the “First Bites” Reception, and a note.

_ Holly-Hobby, _

_ I changed the assignments through the weekend.  You are now covering the Food and Wine Events.  Take your boy (I assume he's with you... he'd be a fool not to be) have a good time.  You should get a delivery to your room for the Halloween 5K and the Wine and Dine info.  Talk to you soon. Take lots of pictures! _

_ Al _

I walked through the door to find Joe still in bed.  I dropped everything on the table and sauntered to him.  He was half covered by the sheet with his foot sticking out from the corner.  “Good God, what happened to this bed?” I smirked.  My knee sunk into the mattress.  I slowly inched closer to him.

Joe sat up and looked at the condition of the bed.  “What's wrong with it?  Looks perfectly fine to me.”  His hands caressed my thighs and moved over my hips.  His fingertips gripped my lower back.  He pulled me down on top of him; his mouth burning across my flesh.  He rolled on to his stomach, flattening me against the bed.  He nipped at my lower lip between sweet kisses.  “So... what'd the boss-man say?”

I wrapped my legs around the rumpled sheets and rolled the other direction.  I popped up straddling him. He looked at me with a mix of curiosity and seduction.  I bit the edge of my lip as my hips slowly began to rock back and forth.  My hands pressed against the flat of his stomach. My fingers stroked the patch of hair just below his bellybutton.  I could feel his muscles tighten beneath my touch.  I watched his chest rise and fall with each anticipatory breath he took.  My fingernails lightly scraped his skin.  I blew a light breath across the tiny goosebumps that formed.  He shivered.  I leaned forward and kissed his chest. I made my way to his neck.  My hot breath fanned over the tender skin below his ear.  With a growl I was on my back again in a fury of sheets and clothing as he stripped them away.  He plunged inside me.  His hips circled left to right as I gasped for air.  My hands gripped his arms as I moved to bring him further and further into me.  My legs locked around his as my hips pushed up to his.  His eyes locked on mine and watched as we both came closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.  A few moments later, he collapsed.

Neither of us moved for what seemed like an eternity.  I could feel his heart beating against me as I listened for every breath.  My fingers lazily began to stroke his hair.  My head rolled to the side and noticed the time.  It was after 3 and I hadn't eaten since breakfast.  As if on cue, my stomach rumbled.  “Uh oh... a sound like someone’s hungry.”  I nodded.  “Maybe we should do something about that?”

“Yes please.”  That was all it took.  Joe got up and started getting put back together.  “Oh by the way, I don't have to go to my meeting at 4:30.  There was a slight change of plans.”

“Oh really? What kind of slight change?” I should have caught the slight smirk he quickly covered, but I didn't.

“We are going to the Kick-Off party for the Food and Wine Festival.”  I picked up our credentials from the table I dropped them on earlier and waved them around.

Forty-five minutes later we were dressed and on the path to the International Gateway at EPCOT.  We followed the signs for Event Guests, showed our credentials, pushed through the turnstiles, and we made our way up the shady path toward the World Showcase. We still had a couple hours before the Event started.  “Hmmm… where should we start?”  I looked from left to right as we reached the top of the path. To our left was the U.K. Pavilion.  To our right was a bridge leading toward the France Pavilion.  Ahead of us sprawled the World Showcase Lagoon.  There were already signs of preparations for the evening’s performance of  _ Illuminations _ .  A bevy of colorful stands were set up all around, just waiting to serve up tasty bites from various countries.  I looked to the left.  I looked to the right.  I looked across the water. And then I got an idea.   _ Ooh sushi!  _ “C’mon!” I dragged Joe over the bridge and past 2 countries before I stopped in front of a building with a blue tiled roof.  “Welcome to Japan!” I did my best Price is Right hand gestures for the pavilion behind me.  The setting sun bathed us in a golden glow. A slight breeze ruffled my dress and a few loose strands of hair.  “Shall we start off with a roll and maybe a sake-tini?”

“We shall.”  Joe took my hand and looped it through his arm as we started up the narrow stairs to the restaurant.  Upon entering, we were greeted repeatedly in Japanese by petite women dressed in traditional garb. We were escorted to a table nearest the window overlooking the lagoon.  After the third table visit from our server, we ordered.  She bowed and left us.  “So… what is this thing we’re going to tonight?” He asked as he looked at the credentials around his neck.

“It’s just a reception.  A preview, if you will, of the Festival.  Lots of food on little plates, beer, wine, demonstrations, and entertainment.” I summed up.

“So is this strictly a work thing for you?”

I laughed.  “If it was, I wouldn’t be in this dress or having a drink!”    As if on cue, our server brought out our drinks.  “Tomorrow and Saturday will be the big work days. Tonight is just to relax and enjoy.”  I grabbed my martini glass and held it up to him.  Our glasses clinked before we both took a sip.  A few minutes later, we had sushi in front of us.  I grabbed my chopsticks and dug in.  “When do you have to go back?” I asked between bites.

I watched him swallow and take another drink.  “I have a flight scheduled Sunday afternoon. I was kind of hoping you would be on it with me…”

I stopped mid-chew. I looked up at him.  _ I’m sorry. What did he say?  He wants me to be on the plane with him?  How do I make that happen?  I’m just s’posed to call Al and say ‘Hey, thanks for the trip to Florida.  I had a lot of fun and learned a bunch, but now I need a few more days off to go spend it somewhere with a guy.’  He is a really HOT guy… And it’s not like I don’t have the time available.  But what do I have on schedule?  Hmm… what do I have on the schedule? _ I realized I probably should swallow what was in my mouth… and maybe respond to him in some way. “Um… I’ll have to see what I can do about that…”  He grinned broadly. “That’s not a yes.”

“But it’s not a no either.”

_ Touché.  _ The next time our server stopped by, I slipped her my I.D. and corporate card.  Within a few minutes, we were set to leave.  I held on to the handrail as I made my way down the stone steps.  I looked out over the water to see flames from elevated cauldrons flickering around the lagoon.  Darkness was quickly approaching.  The earlier light breeze had picked up. A warm gust blew by.  Instinctually, I flattened my dress against me. It was a long walk to the Festival Center where the Event was being held.  We were quite literally as far away from it as we could get still being in the park. “We should probably head to the party.”

Joe held out his hand. “Lead the way.” We started the journey – stopping a few times to snap some pictures along the way.  We finally reached the venue on the other side of the park.  Future World was a stark contrast from the richness of the World Showcase.  Two tuxedoed men held the doors open for us once they looked over our credentials.  The large room was filled with warm colored lights and displays of food and wines from various countries surrounding a huge Croquembouche in the shape of the Eiffel Tower.  I stared at the massive display of bite-sized pastries in awe.  I’d never seen one so big before. 

A tray of champagne stopped in front of me.  “Would the lady care for a glass of champagne?”  I smiled and nodded as I took a glass.  “Sir?” he offered to Joe.  The tray and the man carrying it quickly buzzed to the next Guests. 

“So where should we start?” Joe asked as he surveyed the room. 

“I have no idea…” I responded with wide eyes. 

“KITTEN!!” I heard a familiar voice boom from across the room.

“Daddy?!” Before I could blink, my father had me wrapped in a hug and picked me up off my feet.  Joe reached for my glass to prevent me from spilling over either of us.  “I didn’t know you were going to be here?!” He set me back down and kissed both my cheeks. 

“I didn’t tell you? It must have slipped my mind. You look gorgeous, Kitten.”

Joe cleared his throat as I took a step back.  “OH!  I’m so sorry!” I quickly took my glass of champagne from him.  “Daddy, this is Joe.  Joe, this is my father Chef Rand Carmichael.”

The two men shook hands.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you Chef… I mean Sir… I mean Mr. Carmichael.”

My father laughed.  “Rand is fine, Son.” He looked to me.  “Is he always like this?”

I playfully punched him.  “No Dad, you make him nervous. Though I haven’t decided if it’s because you’re more famous than he is… or if it’s because you could filet him.”

“Thanks, Holly!” Joe retorted.

My dad laughed again.  “Well… it’s true. He is. And he could.” I responded.

“Oh Joe… watch yourself… you are a hand on the hip away from being in trouble with her,” Dad hinted to him. I gawked at him.  “Alright you two.  I need to get back to letting these people schmooze me.  They want us to open a restaurant here. Have fun! And take care of my girl.”  He shook Joe’s hand again before giving me a hug and kiss on the head.  He took three steps away from us before he was cloaked by a group of suits.

“So that’s your dad, huh?”

“That’s him.”

Joe looked around the large room filled, “So how does this work?”

 

My gaze turned from where I had seen my father and back to the man standing before me with a blink. “Huh? OH!” Reality kicked in and it was hungry. “Basically, we walk over to the main table, get our plates and glasses, then go from ‘country’ to ‘country’ and eat! And drink!” His hand brushed back his jacket and tucked into his pocket. He thought for a second. His eyes narrowed as he slowly turned and looked at all the displays, lights, food, drinks, and entertainment.  _ Sweet Jesus! Does he practice that look in the mirror?!?!?!  _ He took the last sip of champagne from his glass and slid it onto a passing tray.

 

He reached for the glass in my hand. I pulled it back, “My bubbles.”

 

His smile made my heart skip. “Shall we?” I quickly finished my champagne and set the glass on a table. Joe grabbed my hand and started pulling me toward the main table. We were each handed a bamboo plate, a bamboo fork, and a commemorative wine glass. “Why is there a hole in the plate?” He asked. He was referring to the ¼ inch channel cut into one corner of the plate.

 

_ Bless him.  _ I took his glass while he held the plate, still pondering. I slid the glass stem all the way into the opening then let go. “There you go!”

 

“It’s a cup holder?” He looked at me with wide, puzzled eyes. “How did you know that?”

 

“This isn’t my first ‘Foodie-Fest’. Now, let’s eat!” We took a lap around the building to get an idea of where we should start. The air around each table seems to be filled with a different perfume. And they all smelled amazing. They represented their countries with each tapas-sized delicacy. Wine, beers, and spirits flowed from bottle to commemorative glass.

 

“Some of this stuff sounds scary,” Joe whispered in my ear as we passed something called Rendag at the Singapore table.

 

“Live a little. You never know when you might get the chance to try these again.” I laughed at him as we continued down the aisle. And then I saw it… cheese. Not just cheese, but a whole booth full of cheese! Cheese from all over the world. My pace slowed as I stared at the majesty of the assortment. And then I started walking fast. I had to get to the cheese. I stopped a few steps from the table and turned back to Joe. “It’s cheese… lots and lots of cheese!!! Manchego, and Taleggio, and Brie, and Camembert, and fondue, and… and…”

 

“And I’m guessing you like cheese?” Before I could answer him, I had grabbed a few pieces from a display and was busy nibbling.

 

The answer came from behind him. “No, my Kitten has a completely unholy and unadulterated obsession with cheese.” Joe turned back to see my dad. He turned back to me. With a shrug, I nodded it was true. My dad laughed heartily. “What have you had to eat so far?” 

 

I held up another cube of cheese. He laughed at me. “In all fairness, it’s been like 3 minutes since we saw you last.” I mentioned between bites.

 

My dad turned to Joe. “If you don’t get her away from this table, she WILL stay here all night.” He turned back to me. “Now, I recommend the corn and cheese empanada, then the barramundi.” He started pointing to the other tables. “Yes to the mussels, come back for the waffles – nothing like an actual Belgian waffle…Go with the shrimp, you’ll think the pork skewer is overcooked. Joe, she’ll try to drink the cheddar cheese soup – just so you know – and she’ll hate the salmon. I don’t know why my daughter hates all things maple. Take the ceviche from Chile, then both the shrimp and the potstickers from China. Yes to everything from France. You’ll love the Riesling in Germany… I already ordered a couple cases for your mom. Ok. I’ll see you later.” He smacked a kiss on my cheek and was gone again.

 

“Did you get all of that?” Joe asked as I popped one more piece of cheese in my mouth.

 

He wrapped an arm around me and coaxed me away from the table. I glanced over my shoulder with a pout. “Bye bye cheese…” We meandered around the hall for the next few hours sampling to our heart’s delight. With full bellies and empty glasses, we finally decided to call it a night. As we walked in front of Mission Space, families hurried by as they raced to get in one more ride. Squeals of delight carried over Test Track’s high walls. Our glasses clinked in the colorful reusable bag Joe carried at his side. The warm night air blew over us. Colored lights tinted the fountain ahead of us. There was a comfortable silence between us. We weaved our way around the other side of the World Showcase before returning to the gate. “Walk or boat?”

 

“Which would be faster?” He asked.

 

“Walking.”

 

“Then the boat it is.” He smiled and gently pulled me toward the dock. A boat slowly approached from the other side of Crescent Lake. With my back to the water, I leaned against the handrail. I looked to my left where Joe stood watching the boat as it made its way closer. I couldn't quite read the expression on his face – it was somewhere between serene and perplexed. In the distance I heard the high pitched twittering that could only come from a group of teen-aged girls. My gaze instantly sought where it emanated. I found them about 40 feet ahead of us. Six girls walked in a clump. They giggled and rapidly spoke indistinctly. My hands gripped the handrail a little tighter. As they walked nearer, I leaned in closer to Joe. To the casual observer, I looked calm. Truth was I could have pounced if they got closer than I was comfortable. Then the rough scratch of stubble grazed the back of my shoulder. His arm came around my waist. He could see them over my shoulder, but he didn’t turn around. “Holly…” he whispered before his lips pressed into my skin. My head turned toward him, but my gaze stayed affixed on the girls. “Look at me.” Slowly, my eyes shifted to his. “Relax.” He raked his chin over my bare skin again. I shivered automatically. A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as my stiffened form melted. From my periphery, I watched the group of girls pass by us without a glance. He pulled me closer, his hip overlapping mine. He rested his chin on my shoulder and peered back out to the water. All was quiet and perfect…Until the boat’s horn made me jump. Joe threw his head back and laughed as it glided to a stop and was docked.

 

We made small talk with the captain while he waited to see if any other passengers wanted to board. Once he made the call to depart, we found our seats. We picked a spot on the back deck. I draped my arm across his chest and rested my head in the crook of his neck. The warm air encircled us. Joe pulled his phone from his pocket and snapped a shot. He looked at the photo and smiled. “Thanks for coming with me tonight. It would have been soooo boring by myself.”

 

“My pleasure. Though I’m sure your dad would have kept you company.” He kissed my forehead. ”So what's on the work agenda for tomorrow?”

 

“Kid's Races over at the Wild World of Sports Complex.”

 

“What does that entail?”

 

“Mostly just cheering on little ones as they run.”

 

“Can I go?”

 

I sat forward and looked at him with surprise. “Well I have to be there at 6:30... the races start at 7. But sure, if you'd like to go you are more than welcome.” He didn't say anything. Joe simply wrapped his arm around me and pulled me back to the spot I had left.

 

My alarm went off the next morning sooner than I wanted. Some local radio personality was outlining weekend events going on around town. I slapped the snooze button. I rolled back over and stretched.  _ Empty. Empty spot next to me. _ I opened one eye and looked around. I pushed myself up and rolled my head from side to side.  _ Hhhhmmmmppppffffff _ I flopped back to the pillows. “Holly...” I heard from the side of the bed. I grumbled. “Hooolllllyyyyy...” I turned my head toward the sound. I opened my eye again through the curtain of hair that fell in my face. Joe knelt next the bed smiling brightly. “Time to cheer on some kids!”

 

I held the covers to my body and began to sit up. He held out a cup of coffee. I was fully up-right with cup in hand before he could blink. After a few burning swallows I focused on Joe – who was now sitting on the side of the bed. He was dressed in shorts, a baseball tee, and matching hat. “You are the best.” I said before taking another sip. “And you're adorable.” I smacked a kiss on his cheek. “Will you hold this please?” I handed him my coffee and slipped out of the other side of the bed. I quickly showered and dressed.

 

Before long we were wading through little ones all wearing racing bibs emblazoned with the number 1. My cell phone started ringing. “Good Morning Al. Where are you?”

 

“About 10 yards to your left.” My boss responded.

 

I looked to the left and spotted the short, bald man. I hung up my phone and made my way over. I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a squish. “You look fabulous... as always. Is this the man?”

 

I stepped back from Al and reached for Joe's hand. “Yes, this is Joe. Joe, this is Al.” I swear there was a sparkle in Al's eye as the two shook hands.

 

“Well thanks for coming out to help, Joe. Ok. So you two are going to run with the 5-6 year old group. You're going to go to the start line and kind of run with them as they make their way down.”

 

“You got it!” I grabbed Joe's hand and turned toward the starting line. The kids were separated by age group then spread out accordingly by distance. We made our way to the second group. We got situated on either side of the track. Squeals of excitement resonated through the stands. Kids waved at their parents on the sidelines. Their smiles were contagious. I gave high-fives to the little ones around me. I lost sight of Joe. I looked up and down both sidelines. Before I could begin to briefly panic, I spotted him. In the middle of the back crouched down next to a little boy wearing the exact same hat. I smiled. Joe leaned to the side, looked at me, and pointed with a huge grin. The little boy waved at me with the most precious smile I'd ever seen. And then I noticed it. Attached to the little boy’s arms were crutches. His face was unmistakably one of a child with Downs-Syndrome. I felt my heart swell and had to blink back the tears that instantly sprung to my eyes. I waved back at them.

 

The emcee announced the start of the first heat. Twelve kids took off running. After a few seconds, the next group of 12 took off. As the third group took off, I started trotting along with calling the kids out by the names under their number 1s. I'd pace a child for a few steps and give them a high-five. Or I'd pretend to race them, of course letting them pass right by me. I was about 2/3rds of the way down the track when I turned and saw Joe alongside the little boy in the matching hat. The child-sized crutches kept the rhythm of his steps. His braced legs kept up with the rhythm. I stopped as my tracks as I heard Joe, “You're doin' great Buddy! You're almost there, Will.”

 

I started clapping my hands, “Come on Will! You can do it!” His cherubic face looked at me with glee. They passed by me and I started jogging behind them. Tears were streaming down my face with every step closer to the finish line. I ran ahead to the medals stand and grabbed a medal for Will. He and Joe finally made it across. The woman I presume to be Will's Mom stood a few feet away. The boy continued on until he reached the woman. She picked him up, crutches falling to the ground. She smothered his face with kisses. I handed Joe the medal. “Go give it to him.”

 

I watched while he approached the woman and child. “Hey Buddy! Good job out there! I have something for you.”

 

Will's eyes lit up as Joe showed him the medal. “That's for me?”

 

“Of course it is!”

 

“But I didn't win.” The child stumbled on his words due to his excitement.

 

“Of course you did! You finished before I did. You beat me!” Joe smiled back. Joe looped the medal around Will's neck. They both watched it dangle.

 

Will's mom locked eyes with me. “Thank you.” She mouthed.

 

“Hey Holly,” Al came up behind me quickly.  “They're coming!”  I looked behind him to see a plethora of cameras flocking toward us.  I glimmer of panic flashed across my eyes. My jaw dropped.  “Right now, I need you to go to Joe. Go.”  

 

It took me all of two steps to get to Joe.  I stood slightly behind him and Will's mom and quickly told them of the impending onslaught of media.  They both looked to where Al was corralling journalists.  I looked at the woman holding her son.  “Hi.  I'm Holly.  Are you ok with Will being photographed or on-camera?”               

 

“Hi. Pam.  I think so, but I don't want to be on-camera.” 

 

“Ok. We can make that work.” I looked at the boy in her arms.  “Hi Will.  Good job, Big Guy!  Would it be ok if your new friend Joe held you for a few minutes while some people took some pictures?” He looked at his mom.  “You will be able to see Mom the whole time. I promise.” 

 

“Ok.  You're Holly.  Joe's giiiiirrrrlfriend.” He beamed. I laughed. 

 

“Almost ready, Holly?” Al called. 

 

Joe held out his arms.  “Ok Buddy!  Let's go be rock stars!”  He easily went from Mom's arms to Joe's.  

I patted both of their backs.  “Do good boys!”  Joe smacked a kiss on my cheek. I grabbed Pam by the hand and led her to the side of the melee where she could be visible to Will.  

 

Al came up beside me.  I looked at him with surprise. “Don't worry, your boys are safe,” he said to both Pam and I.  

 

“I’m not worried... yet.”

 

“Yet?”

 

“I am not ready for the world to know about this, Al.”

 

“Holly, you’re gonna have to get ready.”

 

Joe answered some questions and took some pictures with Will.  And before too long, he was thanking the press for their time and bringing Will back to his mother.  “Will... Buddy!  You were awesome!”  The two smacked hands for the I-don't-know-how-many-ith-time.  Joe set Will down but held both hands until we could get his crutches to him.  

 

“Ok Holly.  I need you to pull double duty.  Something just came up.  You and Joe are hosting Will's family at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.” 

 

“Wait.  We need to ask his mom.” I looked over at Pam who was just watching her son with a smile. “Pam?  Can I talk to you for a minute?”  Pam came over.  “Pam, we'd like to you take you and your family to the Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom tonight.  Is that ok?” 

 

Her eyes welled up. Her hands flew to her mouth.  “Are you serious?” 

 

“Oh don't cry.  Of course I'm serious. It would be our pleasure.” 

 

She quickly forced back the tears.  “It's just Will had been asking to go... and it's just the two of us... and I couldn't afford the trip and the race... and the party.” My heart melted a little.  She and I discussed details while Joe and Will were blissfully unaware.  “Ok Honey, it's time to go. Say goodbye to Joe.” 

 

“Ok. I'd better go too.  I bet Holly's hungry.  And she's not fun to be around when she's hungry.” Joe told his new 5 year-old best friend. 

 

“Mommy gets grumpy too when she's hungry.  Girls are funny that way.” 

 

“Yes, yes they are.” He gave the boy one more high-five not knowing what the rest of the day was going to entail.  We watched the two walk away.  “I understand why you love your job.”

 

“Oh... you have no idea.” I smirked.  Joe looked at me puzzled.  “Hey Al! Call me when everything's set?”

“Um... Holly... what are you not telling me?”

 

“Nothing... yet.  You were right though, I am hungry.  Shall we find some breakfast?”

 

“I have a better idea.  You brought a swimsuit, yes?”

 

“Um... no, but I can get one.”

 

“Good. Get one. Let's go back to the hotel.”            

 

When we got back to the hotel, Joe sent me to a shop to find a bathing suit while he disappeared.  I wandered over to the Beach Club Marketplace.  The selection wasn't huge, but it was enough to locate something I liked.  I made my way up to the room and found Joe sitting on the edge of the bed wearing swim trunks and a smirk.  “Ooh... someone looks like he’s up to something.” I teased.

 

“Maybe... but I think you are too.”

 

“Maybe. How about I go slip into something more comfortable?” I swung the bag in my hand.  I scampered to the bathroom and quickly changed.  I opened up the door and leaned seductively against the wall.  “So... what do you think?”          

 

He threw at sundress at me.  “I think if you don't cover up, we'll never get out of this room.  And there is a glorious day wasting away outside.” 

 

“You could have said you didn't like it...” I pulled the dress over my head and slipped on my flip-flops. 

 

“Oh… I like it,” he winked before he led me down to one of the quiet pools.  Two towel-draped lounge chairs were set with a small table between them.  A single red rose sat on one.  Joe picked up the rose. “M'Lady...” he bowed slightly with a flourish. 

 

“Why thank you kind Sir,” I curtseyed before sitting.  I slid back on the lounge chair and relaxed.

 

The velvety soft petals of the rose brushed over my cheek and over my lips.  His stare was intense.  Without a word or a blink, he leaned forward and gently kissed my lips.  “I have to thank you for such an amazing morning.”

 

I leaned toward him for another kiss.  “You are very welcome.” I took the rose from his hand.  “Now... not to sound rude... What happened to feeding me???”  A smiling cheery server brought out breakfast and juice.  “Ooh.  You’re good.” I smacked a kiss on his cheek with a giggle. 

 

We basked in the sun with full-bellies until my phone rang.  I reached over to the table. Joe watched intently.  “Hey Al, what’s the plan?”

 

“Plan?  There’s a plan?” I heard over my shoulder.

 

I mimed for Joe to hush.  Al quickly filled me in on the details for the afternoon and evening.  We had about two hours before we had to meet Will and Pam at their hotel.  I put my phone down with a sigh.  “Baby… I’m really sorry but…”

 

“But you have to work.”  I nodded with a grimace.  Joe shook his head.  “So this is what that feels like? Usually ‘I have to work’ is my line.”  I started laughing.  “What’s so funny?”

 

“My poor, poor man,” he stood up and hovered over my chair.  In a blink he grabbed me by my wrist and hoisted me over his shoulder. I giggled and squealed as he headed over to the pool. And then… there was lightness followed by a  _ sploosh _ .  I pushed my way to the surface of the water and gasped for air. I coughed and sputtered my way to the side.

 

“Oh!  Holly!” Joe rushed over to me. “Are you ok?” I grabbed on to the edge with both hands. I tucked my head between my arms and tried to breathe normally. “Holly?  Are you ok?” I kept my head down with a large grin spreading over my face.  “Honey, I am sooo sorry!” I nodded. With a breath, I pushed myself back under the water.  I placed my feet against the wall of the pool.  My head broke the surface of the water.  Joe extended a hand to me.  “Holly.  Honey.  Here. Let me help you out”.  I took his hand.  As he pulled, I pushed my toes into the wall, my legs began to straighten. Joe quickly took my other hand.  Before my legs fully straightened, I pushed off the wall.  We both went flying in the water with a splash. As I swam to the surface, I felt Joe grab my foot.  He pulled down as he slid up against me.  His arms wrapped around me as we resurfaced.

 

I let him guide me through the water to the wall. His hands gripped the edge of the pool.  He pinned me to the wall.  His mouth claimed the edge of my jaw. My head rolled back against the lip of the pool. His rough stubble grazed the soft spot near my right ear. I found my legs had inadvertently wrapped around him. My fingers moved down his chest to his stomach.  His hips pushed forward - closer to me.  My arms found their way around his neck.  I squeezed him tightly.  My head dropped to his shoulder, where I began to deposit kisses. I mouth made its way to his ear.  “Don’t let go,” I whispered.

 

“I don’t intend to,” he whispered back. 

 

__

“I’m gonna do whaaaaat?” Joe asked as he looked back and forth between me and Al. I laughed.  We had explained about taking Will and his mom to the Halloween Party and were now standing in front of the largest costume warehouse anywhere. 

 

“Holly, he’s all yours. Don’t forget, you have to be at Pop at 3:30. I’ll see you at 7.” He walked away.

 

Joe and I started walking down aisle after aisle of costume pieces. “It’s simple. All you have to do is pick someone to be. You want to be a pirate, you can be a pirate.  You want to be Prince Charming, you can be Prince Charming.”

 

“Who are you going to be?”

 

“That will depend entirely on who you are going to be.”

 

“Well who do you think Will is going to be?”

 

“He’s definitely going to want to be whatever you think he should be.” Joe thought about that for a moment. Then a smile spread across his face. “Something tells me I should be nervous.”

 

Joe started scouting the racks for something specific.  “This is going to be so awesome!”

 

At 3:30, we stood in front of a hotel room, knocking on the door.  Will’s mom peeked through the curtains of the window beside it.  “Will, I think you have some visitors.” She said.

 

The door swung open. I could see Will’s puzzled face across the room. “Hey Buddy!  Let’s get going!  We’ve got places to go and things to see!!!”

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“Well, we have a very special surprise for you… but first, we have to go to Downtown Disney.”

 

“All right! Let’s get a move on!” I announced.  Pam quickly grabbed their things as Will made his way over to Joe.  We made our way to the parking lot where a limousine waited for us. “Will?  Have you ever ridden in a limousine before?”  His eyes were wide as he slowly shook his head. Pam began snapping pictures. Joe scooped up Will and ran to the open door of the car. We all got situated – Pam and I on one side; Will and Joe across the back. The driver pulled out of the parking lot. Within a few minutes, we were pulling up to Downtown Disney Marketplace.  We made our way over to the Bibbiddi Bobbiddi Boutique.

 

The Fairy Godmothers-In-Training were prepared and waiting for us.  Two empty stations sat side by side waiting for Will and Pam.  Will looked nervously at Joe.  “What is it Buddy?” Joe kneeled down to him.

 

“This is a GIIIIIIIIRRRRRLLLLLL place.”

 

Joe, Pam, and I laughed.  “It’s ok Will.  It’s not just for girls.  See over there?”  Joe pointed to a young boy getting made into a Knight. “There are boys here too.  Would I take you to a place just for GIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRLLLLLLLSSSSSS?” This made him feel better.  Two Fairy Godmothers-In-Training motioned for Pam and Will to join them.

 

Pam looked at me nervously too.  “What?  Did you think he was the only one who was going to get to dress up?”  She resigned to the chair next to her son.  For the next twenty minutes they were coiffed and styled.  They were then led into dressing rooms where they changed into their Halloween costumes for the evening.  Joe and I quickly ducked into changing rooms ourselves and changed into costumes.

 

“Are we all ready?” One of the Cast Members asked. 

 

I heard Will excitedly talk to Pam.  I poked my head out of the curtain to see him in FULL Captain Hook regalia and Pam dressed as a very lovely Wendy. With GREAT flourish, Joe threw back his curtains – plastic sword drawn, “AH HA!  I see we meet again Captain Hook!” Will squealed with delight as Joe danced around him, lightly poking him with the sword. “TINKERBELL!  Where are you, Tink?” Joe called. He turned back to Will, “Have you seen my pixie?”  I shook my feet from behind the curtain. The bells on my shoes started jingling.  “Did you hear that?”  They were all quiet.  Again, I shook my feet.

 

“I HEAR HER!” Will yelled. I drew the curtains back and stepped out. “THERE SHE IS!!!” For a moment I feared this would be too much and Will was going to burst right out of his curly wig and ruffled shirt.  But the moment soon passed.  A photographer stepped over and started snapping pictures of us in front of a green screen. 

 

“My dear Captain,” Joe grandly bowed in front of Will, “we’d better thank the Fairy Godmothers for helping us.  We’ve got to fly! Oh but WAIT! Do you know what it takes to fly?”

 

“A happy thought!” He screamed.

 

“Annnnnnnddddd...”Joe hinted. Will thought for a moment.  Slyly, I was handed a pouch of pixie dust. I moved up to Joe’s side. “Faith… Trust… and PIXIE DUST!!!!”  I flitted around the three of them sprinkling them with the iridescent glitter I had been handed.  Joe scooped up Will and proceeded to fly him out of the store.

 

The child was practically vibrating with excitement as we made our way over to the Transportation Center. We headed up to the Monorail platform. “Ahoy Captain,” a Cast Member called out to Will.  “We have your ship waiting for you.  We were led to the nosecone.

 

“WE GET TO SIT WITH THE DRIVER?!?!?!” If I had thought he was excited before, this pretty much set him spinning.  Will sat next to the driver – practically sitting on his hands. He watched every move the driver made, but didn’t say a word. The driver asked him questions, but he merely nodded responses as we made our way down the beam around the Seven Seas Lagoon until we finally reached the Magic Kingdom. The cabin door glided open. We all took our time getting down the ramp to the Main Entrance. I could see Al on the other side of the security check.

 

He laughed as we approached.  “Joe, I gotta hand it to you. You gave her a character that doesn’t talk. I don’t think she’s been this quiet as long as I’ve known her.”

 

Joe turned to me suddenly.  “Wait!  You haven’t said a word since you put that on! You’ve just…” I jingled the bells on my shoes again. He laughed and pressed a kiss into my forehead. “Well played.”

 

Al turned to Will. “Captain Hook, are you ready?” He smiled widely and nodded. We all followed Al as he walked us in. In a blink we were wrist banded and given treat bags.  We were escorted toward Town Square Exposition Hall.  “Wait right here.” We all stood still as Al disappeared around a corner.  His hushed tones were barely audible to anyone else but me… the familiar sound of last minute details falling into place made me yearn to peek around the corner. But I didn’t – for once.  “Hey Will!  I think there’s someone who would like to see you!” Al announced as he popped back around the corner.  Joe and I hung back as we watched Will timidly poke his way around.  Pam was half a step behind him.

 

“I kind of want to watch this, just to see his face,” Joe stated.  I smiled and nodded.  “Are you really going to keep this up all night long?” I nodded.  He laughed. “You are so adorable…” His face inched closer to me.  His lips pressed against mine.

 

“IT’S MICKEY MOUSE!”  A very high-pitched, excited squeal broke our kiss. Instantly, we both started around the corner. Will’s face shone as bright as the sun as the Big Cheese wrapped him up in a hugs and kisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "She Works Hard for the Money" by Donna Summer; 1983. Written by Donna Summer and Michael Omartian


	6. Butterfly

_ Butterfly _

_ Well you float on by _

_ Oh kiss me with your eyelashes tonight _

_ Or Eskimo your nose real close to mine _

_ And let's mood the lights and finally make it right _

_ But you don't fold, you don't fade, you've got everything you need _

_ Especially me _

_ Sister you've got it all _

 

 

_ Ok. I’m going to do it.  I’m going to make the phone call… _ I stared at my Blackberry.  I’d opened the contacts and had my boss’ number at the ready to dial.  _ Or maybe I’ll just send an email. _ Just as I opened up the blank email to start writing, my phone rang. It was Al.  I clicked ‘accept’  hesitantly on the second ring. “Good morning, it’s Holly.”

 

“Hey Holls.  The thought occurred to me that you have been working really hard.  We’ve had you going a mile a minute for months.  I’m giving you the next week off. I’ve already passed off your stuff to Steve. Ok. I’ll see you when you come back from vacation. Bye.”

_ What the HELL just happened? _

I was still trying to rationalize the call I just received when I walked back into the hotel room. Joe was propped up on a pillow staring at his phone. He glanced up at me.  His face quickly matched my perplexed look.  “What’s with the face?”

 

I slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.  “Um… I guess I’m going to New York with you.”

 

“And you sound so excited about that too.” He said flatly.

 

I closed my eyes tightly with a sigh.   _ Way to fuck that up Holly.  _  I crawled over to him and pulled my knees underneath me.  “We can both agree that didn’t come out quite right.  The face came from the confusion of the phone call.  It’s odd to have your boss tell you he’s given your assignments to someone else and you’re basically ordered to take a week off. It’s more than odd; it’s disconcerting.” I scrunched up my nose.  He thought about it for a moment. “But you know what the awesome part of that phone call is?” He raised his eyebrows at me with a shake of his head.  I stood up on the bed and started jumping up and down. “I GET TO GO TO NEW YORK WITH YOU!!!!”

 

Joe grabbed my ankle after a few jumps.  I landed flat on my ass.  Before I could register what was happening, Joe’s upper body had me pinned to the bed. “Now that… is more like it.”  His lips barely hovered over my ear. His breath sent a shiver through some place deep inside of me.  His hand slid down up and down between my hip and ribs.  Our eyes were set on each other’s.  His fingertips touched the curve of my waist. My breathing became shallow and rapid with anticipation of his next move. His smile broadened. My shirt disappeared. I closed my eyes and savored this moment.

 

His nose nudged my jaw, my head turned. His mouth started at the corner and nibbled a path along the underside of my chin. Nibbles grew hungrier as they trailed down my neck and were rapacious by the time they reached my collarbone. His hands squeezed around my rib cage as he effortlessly maneuvered himself on top of me.  His lips continued their path down my chest; occasionally allowing his tongue out to trace little circles around delicate tracts of skin.  He managed to wiggle my legs apart so his body returned to the mattress below me. His stubble lightly grazed my tummy. My hands went back and forth from driving into his hair and clutching the sheet beneath me.  My head tilted back and my back arched as his teeth grazed the space just below my belly button. His fingers sat perched on the waistband of my pajama pants.  He began drumming his fingers as if he was deciding whether to continue his delicious torture.  His right index finger stopped drumming and started tracing a line from the bow of my pants to my hip. Every other pass it would slyly breach the perceived boundary.

 

My breathing became a little slower, a little deeper… for a moment. His head dropped slightly.  He grabbed a pajama tie in his teeth and started pulling back. With a tug, the bow came undone. Slowly, his mouth went to the rise of my left hip bone. Suddenly a pair of sensations left me stupefied.  His tongue laved the indentation of my hip as the days’ worth of growth scraped against my skin. It was both soothing and tormenting. The sensation traveled lower and lower. My breathing started to become ragged again. His tongue lashed out at the apex of my thigh.  I grappled the clump of sheet on either side of me and pulled back. Joe followed me up. He was breathing hard and fast. His eyes were filled with animal instinct. “You’re not going to get away from me.”

 

The tone of his statement and the mix of sweat, heat, and hormones were heady. His left hand gently found a hold on my breast. My nipple pressed into his palm, getting firmer every time he moved. My legs wrapped around his waist.  He kept pushing further down until my thighs were on his shoulders. I thought I was going to burst with every second that passed.  His right hand pushed my leg open wider and dove in. My body pushed back again automatically from the surge.  His hands held me in place as his tongue set out to satisfy me. Time, space, and nerve endings melded into one.  Joe drove me to the edge of ecstasy several times before I found enough strength to turn the tables.

 

He pulled back up to his knees; his excitement clearly visible from his shorts. I looked down at him and bit my lip. He looked like he was going to pounce on me at any second. He moved.  I rolled to my left.  He caught me mid-turn.  His arms wrapped around me and pulled me back to his lap. His bare chest pressed into my bare back. I felt his lips on the back of my shoulder. His hands rushed over my front; his non-existent fingernails attempting to claw at the flatter parts. His body leaned forward as he tried to kiss his way down my back. I dropped my shoulders forward and rounded my back.  His mouth followed the curve of my spine. His hips tilted forward; pushing me off his lap.  My arms instantly went out to catch me.

 

Joe sat up on his knees and grabbed my hips to prevent me from completely falling over. His hands then rubbed up and down my back.  Now on my hands and knees, he pressed closer to me.  His stiffness was poised to push between my thighs if only I would separate them ever so slightly. His mouth returned to kissing my back. When he made his way back up to my shoulder blades, I realized the clothing barrier that had been between us was removed. I shifted.  He slid between my legs; his sex now against mine. A sense of yearning ripped through me.  I had to have him. I maneuvered my hips and coaxed his rock solid stick in. His gripped tightened on me. “Do. Not. Move.” He managed to say between shallow breaths. I froze, waiting for him to collect himself.

 

Ever so slowly he pulled back and just as slowly pushed forward again. His rhythm began to gain momentum. I matched his pace and crossed my knees between strokes.  “Oh Holly, you feel so amazing.”  I squeezed my thighs tightly together.  “OH MY GOD!” He quickly pulled out a few pumps later. He slid beside me and turned on his back.  I straddled his legs and hovered over his member. I leaned forward and kissed him deeply.  I trailed over to his ear. “Do you want me to ride your cock?” The look on his face was the only answer I needed. I started rocking my hips, slowly bringing him inside one agonizing inch at a time. Our hips moved forward and back; up and down at a slow and deliberate rhythm. Joe’s hands rested at my hips as he watched every undulation my body. I started moving faster.  I leaned forward and closed my eyes feeling my release on its way.

 

I felt Joe’s hands pushing me back up, “No Holly, no.  I want to watch you.”  Every muscle in my body was tensing up. I clenched my eyes tighter.  “Open your eyes Holly. Watch me.”  I kept my eyes on him as waves pulsed through me. And then he sat up sharply and clung to me. Within seconds of each other, we hit our peaks and collapsed to the bed.

 

I lay on his chest waiting for his heartbeat to slow down. I haphazardly started drawing on him with my finger.  I felt movement, but not enough to actually move myself. I deduced he was doing something with his phone since both hands were involved. I turned my face toward him.  I was veiled by a curtain of hair.  “What’cha doin’?”

 

He moved the phone to the side and looked at me with a smile. “Booking your flight.”

 

“Honey, I just had a thought.” I announced.  I jumped up and rummaged through my suitcase. “It’s less of a thought and more of a problem.” He looked at me with concern. “I packed for a work trip to Florida, not autumn New York.  I have nothing to wear!” He laughed. Not a light laugh; not a polite your-joke-wasn’t-really-funny laugh; a deep, loud, belly laugh. “Yes, it’s very funny.” I rolled my eyes and went back to staring at my clothes.

Joe came up from behind and wrapped his arms around me. “Who said you were going to need clothes?”  He breathed into my ear.

“Ha.” I walked out of his grasp to collect the few remaining items still needing to be packed. “I am at least going to need SOMETHING to wear to get from the plane to wherever we are staying!”

“Well then… let’s go shopping.  We have plenty of time before the flight.”

“Really?  Where?  Where are we going to go shopping?  We’re in FLORIDA. If you haven’t noticed, it’s still 80 degrees out.  The closest thing they’re going to have to a winter coat is an ‘I Love Mickey Mouse’ sweatshirt!”

“Point taken. I’m sure we can find something.”

 

I checked my seatbelt for the fourth time. I had my trusty travel blanket and pillow tucked beside me. My headphones were plugged in and playing. I rested my head against the seat and exhaled a long breath. I checked my seatbelt again. “Here, drink this.” Joe stood in the aisle and handed me a glass of something I was certain was not as innocuous as the soda it appeared to be. I could smell the rum before I even held the glass to my lips. I took a small sip and handed it back to him. I checked my seatbelt again. “Holly, will you please relax?”

“I am relaxed… about the flight. I’m nervous about New York.”

He handed me the drink again, this time so he could sit down and put his seatbelt on. “Nervous about New York? Why? I’m sure this isn’t your first trip there.”

“No. Not even close. But it’s different this time. Usually I know the itinerary.  This time, I don’t. And it’s not the part that I don’t know that makes me nervous.”

“Then what does make you nervous about it?”

“You have all this work-stuff to do.”

“Ok. We’ve been here doing your work-stuff for days. It’s not much different.”

“Oh but it is! My work-stuff isn’t normally like it’s been this week.  I’m the girl in the background making sure everything is going well. I’m not the one everyone wants to see. It doesn’t matter if I have a hair out of place or my purse doesn’t match my shoes. No one is going to talk about me the next day – not like they do you.”

He sat in silence for a few moments. “So what do you want to do?  Sit and wait for me to come back from appearances and stuff?”

“No. That’s not what I’m saying. It’s just nerve-wracking. Suddenly, for the first time in my life – people will be talking about me. They will be scrutinizing me. They will be judging me. And let’s be honest, it’s not all going to be nice.”

“But your dad is Rand Carmichael – Internationally acclaimed chef, restaurateur, TV celebrity, and chef to the stars!”

“Yes, and my mom is a former dance-star turned Emmy Award winning producer.  And they were all of those things before I was even born. I am child of celebrities - a squeaky clean child of celebrities who has never done anything tabloid-worthy. And my parents, they’re squeaky clean too. The media left me alone. So you see it’s different. I’m not saying it’s bad. I’m not saying I can’t handle it. I’m just saying it is different. And you have to let me cozy up to the idea of how different it will be. Please don’t just throw me out in the limelight.”

Joe pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head.  “I get it. And I would never just throw you out there. I will be there beside you every step of the way. I will do everything I can to shield you and protect you. But you’re right.  They’re going to talk and they’re going to take pictures. In fact, there will probably be something splashed on the internet by morning – and definitely Page 6 before the week is up.” I rested my head on his chest.  I was asleep before we made it to cruising altitude.

The wheels touched down in New York with barely a bump. A very large man in a very nice suit stood just on the other side of the secured arrivals area holding a sign with the name Carmichael on it. With suitcase in one hand and mine in the other, Joe walked up to him. “Good Evening Mr. Carmichael, Ms. Carmichael,” he greeted. “The car is just out front.”  I tried my best not to laugh – which instead turned out to be a stifled snort of sorts that had all three of us laughing out loud.

“Mr. Carmichael… that’s a good one,” Joe said to the man as he slapped him on the back.  The man took my suitcase from me. And let me tell you – watching a 6’7” man roll a purple polka-dotted suitcase through J.F.K. was hysterical. Joe exchanged a few words with the big man before we got into the waiting town car. The driver pulled out into traffic. “Holly, this is Tiny; Tiny, this is Holly Carmichael.”

This huge baseball mitt of a hand reached over from the front seat. “Hi Holly.  Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” In my experience with body guards, they all have names like Tiny, or Bubba, or Big –whatever-the-first-letter-of their-first-name is. And they are all just mountains of men. And Tiny was no exception.  He easily could have shielded me from any harm just by standing between me and said harm. 

I watched the city pass by the window. About 30 minutes later the car pulled to a stop in front of The Plaza. The doorman opened the car door. “Welcome to the Plaza.” He smiled. The hotel entrance was brilliantly illuminated. 

“Good Evening Ms. Carmichael. My name is Jackie. I will be one of your butlers during your stay.” A small woman in white gloves, a black jacket, and tie introduced herself once I was out of the car. Joe came around the car and took my hand. “Good evening Sir, it’s nice to have you back.” She greeted him. Jackie turned from us and began telling bellman what to do.

“A butler?  Really?” I asked Joe as we followed Jackie into the lobby with Tiny in tow.

“Yes, a butler.  I want you to be completely catered to this week.”

“Yes, Miss. Every need you have will be taken care of by me in the evenings or by Stanford during the day.” Jackie guided us to an elevator that quickly whooshed us up to the 21 st floor. She rushed ahead of us and opened the door. I walked straight into the suite before me. I saw the powder room to the left, a study a few feet away, then the magnificent living room.

Every light in the room was on.  I was immediately drawn by the opulent Edwardian furniture, the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the large windows peering out into the city.  Joe had a few words with Jackie before she and the bellmen went upstairs. I felt his hand slide up the back of my thigh as I gawked at Central Park and the skyline.  He gently pressed a kiss into my temple. “Hungry?” I nodded. “Then let’s go.”

We headed back downstairs and followed a slightly tricky path until we reached The Plaza Food Hall. It was getting close to closing time, so the crowds had thinned out. The hostess immediately sprang into action as she saw us coming up to the podium.  She had menus in hand and was practically racing to show us to a table. As soon as our waitress arrived, Joe started ordering – a little from the raw bar, a little from the sushi bar, a little tapas, and more to “start” with. 

Halfway into my glass of wine, I saw the Chef coming toward us. “You know he’s coming to talk to you?” Joe said. 

“I doubt it. No one knows I’m here.”  _ No one knows I’m here. I better call mom. _

The man in his black chef’s coat approached the table.  He reached for Joe’s hand, “Nice to see you again, Joe.” He warmly smiled. “How is everything so far?”

“Great as always,” Joe replied. He looked over at me for a moment. “Chef Todd, I’d like you to meet my...” 

As soon as the introduction began, I started to freak out on the inside.  _ Oh. My. God.  Here it is. What’s he going to say?  Is he going to call me his girlfriend?  His friend? I mean we haven’t discussed it at all. _

“Holly? Holly Carmichael? Is that really you? I haven’t seen you since…” Chef Todd interrupted Joe.

“Since I graduated from high school and Dad and I ate our way through Europe.”

He pulled me out of my seat and into a hug. He looked me up and down. “How are your parents?  I heard your dad was opening something up in Orlando? What are you doing here?” Joe shook his head with a chuckle as I answered the questions asked. Then he turned to Joe. “This must be completely odd for you isn’t it? In some circles, she probably gets more attention than you do.”

“HA!  He still gets the attention from the ladies of the wait staff.  I thought your hostess was going to give herself a paper cut with the menu!” I laughed.

“It was a little odd at first – but only because I didn’t know. It’s not like she broadcasts who she is. But honestly, it’s kind of nice. Besides, a beautiful woman like Holly  _ should _ get all the attention.” There was a slightly goofy grin spread across Joe’s face as his stare was focused directly at me.

Chef Todd patted my knee with a knowing grin. “I’ll let you to get back to your plates.  I’ll have your server bring you a couple of treats! Have a great night. And tell your parents hello for me.” And he was gone.

I leaned over and kissed Joe on the cheek. “You are too adorable for words.”

After dinner, we headed back upstairs. All the lights were dimmed. Joe took me by the hand and led me up to the second level of the suite. The doors to the terrace were swung open. I found myself drawn to the open space. The night air was crisp. The moon hung high in the sky shining brightly down on us. I found myself against the railing taking in the sights and smells of the city below me. The hum of the streets was hushed, but still making its presence known. My arms stretched out along the iron work. A glass of champagne appeared in front of me.  I looked at Joe. He had a glass in his hand and was waiting for me to the take the other. Our glasses clinked before we each took a sip. He turned and took a seat in the chair behind. 

There was a comfortable silence – well as silent as the city gets.  There was no need for words at this moment. I took another sip of champagne. I tilted my head up to look at the sky as the cool liquid slid down my throat.  _ No stars. Too much light pollution. I wonder what they look like from here. They can’t look much different from the ones at home. Home. I better call Mom or Dad tomorrow before Chef Todd tells them he saw me. Has it really been that long since I’ve seen him? _ I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My head tilted a bit to see the moon.  _ Hello Mr. Moon.  _

“You have absolutely no idea how beautiful you look right now.” I looked over my right shoulder to see Joe holding his phone up.

I turned to face him, leaning back in the wall and railing. He kept clicking pictures. I drank the last two sips of my champagne.  I stared at him.  _ Ok Holly. Think sexy. What? Really? Sexy isn’t exactly your thing. Damn. Think. Think. Think. Do something. _ The stem of my champagne glass rolled between my fingers. The flute tipped down, the base was securely in my grasp.  I took a step toward him then another. In a few short strides I was standing at his chair.  My knee pressed into the space between his thighs. I reached for his glass on the table and swallowed the last bit of bubbly. I moved the glass to mirror the one already in my hand. I leaned forward and lightly kissed his cheekbone. I pushed back from the chair and turned for the door.  I stopped at the threshold. I looked over my shoulder at him. His phone was still poised and snapping pictures.

I walked into the bedroom.  The closet doors were wide open. All of our clothes were neatly hung. I entered the bathroom. All our toiletries were laid out at the ready.   _ He really doesn’t want me to do a thing. _ I smirked to myself. I crossed the hall.  The bed was turned down. Pajamas were neatly folded at the foot of the bed just waiting to be put on.  My slacks became a puddle on the floor. I picked them up and walked them to the closet. I finished changing and climbed into bed.

Joe came in a few minutes later. Without a word, he got ready for bed. The room was dark before he was under the covers. He turned toward me. “Holly?  You still awake?” He whispered.

“Yes.”

“Are you upset or something?”

I rolled over toward him. “No. Why would you think that?”

“You’ve been so quiet.”

I lightly laughed. “Nope. Not upset. Just content.”

“Content huh?” He propped his head up. 

“Yep.” I matched his position.

“Hmmm.”

"Hmmm? Are you content?"

"Sort of." 

_ Sort of? Oh God. What is he talking about? Holly, stay calm. Let him talk it out.  _ I was trying to stay calm though everything inside of me was about to scream. "Ummmmm ... Ok. Care to elaborate on that?"

"I'm not trying to freak you out."  _ Too late.  _ "But what if I want more?" 

I was stunned. "More?" 

"Don't get me wrong, I really like what we have going on here. I know our schedules make it difficult to spend a lot of time together.  I know that my world is a bit overwhelming. But I want more. And I want to know if you want more." I stared at him in silence. "I know the one time we've ever talked about wanting more, it was the day we met. So that doesn't really count. All I know is that when I'm with you, I don't want to leave you. When I'm not with you, I can't stop thinking about when I'm going to see you. You make me happy. Soooooo what I really want to know is if you, Holly Carmichael, will be my girlfriend?"

“Yes.”

  
  
  
  
  


Light illuminated the edges of the curtains in the room. I grabbed my phone from the side of the bed. I started composing a text to my Mom:

 

_ Went to NYC with Joe. Be home on Sunday.  _

 

I set the phone down. I slid out of bed and crossed over to the bathroom. I started a bath. I stepped in and stretched out my legs. The warm water enveloped me. I relaxed against the sloped back and exhaled.  _ I have a boyfriend. And not just any boyfriend. Joe Jonas is my boyfriend!  _  I slipped under the surface of the water, closed my eyes, and squealed. When I opened my eyes, there was a blurry object floating above me. I squinted until I recognized it as hand. I sat up and took a deep breath.  

 

"Good morning, Girlfriend." Joe smiled at me from the side of the tub.

 

"Good morning, Boyfriend." His hand reached for my shoulder and pushed my wet hair aside. He leaned over and kissed my shoulder. “So what’s the plan for today?”

 

"Why don't you finish your bath and meet me downstairs?" I nodded. He stood up and adjusted his bathrobe.

 

"I'm finished!!" I started reaching for a towel. He laughed before turning for the door. 

 

A few minutes later, wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe, I floated downstairs. The coffee table was adorned with three Sterling silver trays holding breakfast. I excitedly scampered over to the couch.

 

“Good morning, Miss. I am Stanford.” He draped a napkin over my lap. I watched as he put the appropriate amount of cream and sugar into a cup before topping it off with steaming hot coffee from the silver pot. He let me take a sip of my scalding hot beverage before bringing one of the trays to me.

 

He gently placed it on my lap. "Thank you." Joe sat across from me with his own tray. "So... What are we doing today?"

 

I caught him mid-chew. “I was thinking we might take a stroll through Central Park, maybe do a little shopping in Columbus Circle, and have an amazing meal somewhere.”

 

“That sounds like a full day - an awesome full day.”   _ An awesome day that won't get started until I'm dressed. _ I finished my breakfast and headed upstairs just in time to catch my phone ringing. "Hey Mom."

 

"Holly, I don’t understand.  You just jet off to New York with a man your father and I haven’t met? What about work?”

 

“Whoa whoa Mom. I didn’t just jet off -”

 

“Oh so you were planning this trip and didn’t bother to tell us?”

 

_ Sigh. Moms can be so difficult sometimes.  _ “No Mom, I didn’t plan this trip. Joe asked me to come to New York with him days ago. I wasn’t going to come, but then on Saturday night Al TOLD me to go on vacation. That’s when I said yes. We spent the morning shopping - since I didn’t pack for New York when I left for Florida. I texted when I thought it would be a better time.”

 

“Still we haven’t met him...”

 

“I’m sorry. When exactly were we supposed to do that?  When was the last time you, Daddy, and I were in the same state at the same time? And for the record, Dad met him.”

 

“You do not need to get that tone with me young lady!”

 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Ok Mom. I’m sorry. I should have let you know. Now why don’t we talk about why you’re really upset with me.”

 

“You know me too well, Child. I’ve been putting together a meeting for you with the  _ Celebrity Dancing  _ people. It’s on Wednesday. Now, I’m not going to ask you to come home, maybe we can make it a conference call or something.”

 

“Alright. What time Wednesday?”

 

“Let’s say 10:00 a.m. my time.” I agreed and hung up the phone.

 

Exasperated, I rolled over on the bed and threw my head against the pillows. That’s when I noticed Joe standing in the doorway.  “Everything ok?”

 

"Yeah." I sat back up, crossed my legs, and tugged at my robe to make sure I was covered. "Just my mom being my mom."

 

He sat on the bed. "Yeah. It sucks when they do that," he winked. I smized. "Awww, come on Holly... It's her job."

 

I threw a pillow at him. "Yes thank you for pointing it out. I KNOW it's her job."

 

"So what's going on Wednesday?"

 

"Eh. It's nothing. Just a conference call with the  _ Celebrity Dancing  _ producers."

 

"So you're going to get back into dancing?"

 

"Maybe. For now it's just a conference call. I'm just going to see what they're offering."

 

"What would you do about your job?"

 

"If I like the offer, I'll ask about taking a leave of absence."

 

"Wouldn't it be a conflict of interest since that show is on another network?"

 

"You mean one the Company doesn't own?"

 

"Not really. The show itself isn't produced by that network. It's a third party."

 

"But your mom works for them too, right?"

 

"Yes, but she's going to work on other projects IF I take the offer." He nodded. “For now though, we’ll just wait until I have this conference call on Wednesday."

 

By the time we knew it, morning had turned into afternoon - but just barely. We exited the hotel lobby and immediately slipped on our sunglasses. We crossed the street from the hotel and headed west adjacent Central Park West. The Park was filled with people scarfing their lunches on benches near The Pond. There was a crispness in the air but the sun was doing everything it could to quash it.  As we walked side by side, Joe quietly slipped my hand in his. I looked down and smiled.

 

My heart jumped a bit.  _ He’s just holding your hand, Holly - like he’s done countless times before. It’s no big deal. _ My brain was trying to be logical, but something inside of me was just freaking out. There was there something that felt different about this.  _ But why?  Why does it feel different this time? I mean sure, we’ve been out in public before... hello, you can’t have possibly forgotten going all over Walt Disney World last week! Sigh.  _ It was Walt Disney World though.  It was work - a skewed version of work, but work nonetheless. Work is a safe, comfortable place where I know what to expect - even from the unexpected. And let’s face it, there is more security there than anyone ever realizes. Help, if it was needed was never far away. Especially with my Dad and Al knowing we were there.  In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if they had a tail on us.  And THAT makes it different.  Sure, somewhere not too far away was a Hulk of a man following us. But he is only one man, not a whole brigade of security officers. 

 

Suddenly, we were crossing a street and going deeper into the park.  The sun sparkled through the trees.  The color-changing leaves practically glowed red and gold beneath the light.  I let go of Joe’s hand and stopped; I tilted my head to the sky, soaking in the natural beauty. A breeze rustled through the trees. A single leaf detached from its branch. I watched it float to the ground. It landed a few feet away.  I walked over to it and picked it up. I lightly twirled the stem between my fingers and watched the yellow-orange leaf spin. I heard my name being called.  I looked up.  Joe stood about 20 yards ahead of me.  With a smile, I started running to him. With about five feet to go, I launched myself at him with a squeal. My arms wrapped around his neck.  My legs wrapped around his waist. My hair flopped in his face as my head swung forward.

 

His arms held me tightly against his body. I looked down at his face. His smile was wide. He shifted my weight. I slid a few inches down. I squeezed my thighs to stop sliding.  My ankles locked around around him as I reached his ass. His chin tilted up, mine down.  I giggled as our smiling lips met. I made exaggerated kissing sounds as I pulled back.  His hands quickly wrapped around my waist. “Suddenly I feel like we’re in the middle of  _ Enchanted _ right now. Any minute now, Amy Adams is going to burst through a group of people and sing.”

 

“We could skip through the park and belt out a tune if you like?”

 

Joe laughed for a moment then a thought flashed across his face.  His arms let go of me. I squeezed my legs a little tighter around him. He wiggled his hips a bit. "Give me your hands." I shifted back a bit. I put my hands in his. "Are you ready?"

 

"Ready for whaaaaaaaaaaat?"

 

"On the count of three, unwrap your legs and swing out.

 

"Ummmmm ok..." He counted off. In one smooth motion, he pulled my arms over his head. I unlocked my ankles and swung out as instructed. He used sheer strength and a bit of momentum to move me around to his back. My legs again wrapped around him. He placed my arms around his neck again. Now in a piggy back position, he took off running. I squealed with laughter as my hair flew wildly behind me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Butterfly" by Jason Mraz; 2008. Written by Jason Mraz.


	7. Never Have I Ever

_ It feels like fire and ice _

_ You bring my body to life _

_ Melting into the night just like a butterfly _

_ Never have I ever felt like this before _

_ I've never been the one to knock but now I'm at your door _

 

“Ah Joseph... ‘Ow are you mon ami?” An old, rotund man with broken English held his arms out to Joe as we stepped into a tiny tailor shop. The deep timbre of his voice mixed with his thick French accent reverberated through me.

 

“John-Marc, this is Holly.”

 

“‘Allo ‘Olly!”  He kissed my cheeks before holding me out at arm's length.  He looked me up and down before turning his gaze back on Joe. “Celui-ci est très belle. Vous feriez mieux de s'accrocher à elle. Ne vissez pas cette place-ci.”

 

“Don’t worry John-Marc, I won’t let him.” I replied.

 

His head whipped back toward me.  His eye were ecstatically wide, “Mon dieu, tu parle français?!”

 

“Mais oui!” I beamed back.

 

John-Marc clicked his tongue. “I may 'ave to keep her for myself, Joseph!”  Joe laughed for a moment. “Bon!  Let’s get you... how do they say... suited up!” I practically choked back my  laughter.  Joe disappeared behind a curtain for a moment.  John-Marc kicked an old wooden box across the floor.  A measuring tape encircled his neck.  He pushed a nearby table of tailor’s tools closer to the box.  Joe stepped out of the dressing room and up to the box. The old man crouched down on a worn stool and quickly went to work measuring, marking, and pinning the stunning sterling gray suit Joe had put on.  He did not say a word as his hands deftly marked the changes needing to be made.  Within a few minutes he tapped the side of Joe’s leg to dismiss him. “Mademoiselle, s’il-vous plait?”  He motioned for me to stand on the box.  I obliged. His tape measure moved fast as lightning around me.  “Merci.” Joe returned from changing.  “Joseph, I shall have this ready for you on Wednesday.”

 

“Thank you John-Marc,” he shook the old man’s hand.

 

John-Marc took my hand in his and kissed the back.  “Mon adieu cher.”

 

“Nice to meet you, John-Marc.”

  
  


We stepped out of the shop.  Joe slung his arm over my shoulders.  He pressed a kiss into the top of my head. I reached for the hand that dangled down.  I kissed the back of it as we started walking aimlessly. “You getting hungry?”Joe asked after about half a block.

 

“Have anything in mind?”

 

“I should be asking you that question. But yes, I do have an idea.”  With his free hand, he dug his phone from his pocket. His thumb grazed over the smooth surface before holding it up to his ear. “Hey Man!  Where are you?” Joe listened to the man on the other end for a moment then slowly turned us around. “Yeah. I see you.”  He ended the rather cryptic call and slipped his phone back in his pocket. We started walking back towards where we had just come from.  

 

Tiny unfolded from a black sedan.  “Hey Holly,” he greeted as he and Joe went through some multi-step hand shake. 

 

“Hi Tiny.  Have you been following us all day?”

 

“I’ve been keeping an eye out.” He smiled as he opened the back door. We climbed in and the door was closed.  “Where we going?” He looked at Joe through the rearview mirror.

 

“Sky View.” He answered. Tiny pulled out into traffic.

 

The car pulled to a stop outside a trendy boutique hotel. I reached for the door. "You better not," Tiny warned the same time Joe told me to stop. I yanked my hand from the handle and quickly placed it in my lap. The two men both hopped out of the car and ran around to my side. Tiny opened the door as Joe stood on the curb with his hand extended toward me. I placed my hand in his and exited the car. He slipped a hand around my waist and rested it on the small of my back. Tiny stepped ahead of us and grabbed the door to the building. "You kids be good; I won't be far."

 

Joe laughed as he waved back at the enormous man still standing in the lobby. The elevator zoomed us up to the roof. We stepped out into a tinted glass entryway. A hostess stood at the ready waiting for us to step closer. "Welcome to Sky View. Please follow me."

 

Again with his hand resting on my lower back, Joe guided me out. The doors swung open to reveal a complete oxymoron.  Firstly, the rooftop was rather expansive - much bigger than the building itself appeared.  Secondly, it was as if a Victorian garden and an ultra modern day club merged into one.  It was divided into three sections. The center was filled with plush, overstuffed geometrically shaped teak outdoor furniture.  The sides were lined with rose vine covered trellises.  A gazebo sat in one corner surrounded with tea tables and white wicker furniture.  

 

We were escorted to a teal cushioned chaise big enough for four people. I sat down on the edge of the chaise and slipped my shoes off before sliding back against the wood frame.  Joe sidled up beside me as the hostess handed over a couple of menus. Drinks were ordered, served, and sipped. 

 

The sun started setting over the skyline casting a yellow-orange glow over the city.  Joe flipped around, lounging back, and dropping his head into my lap.  Lackadaisically, I swept his hair back from his forehead. My fingers sunk in and started massaging his scalp.  He closed his eyes. I heard him exhale deeply.  My fingers gently pressed into his temples before they slid down his jaw.  His hand reached for mine and pressed it against his lips.  His hand came up to caress my cheek. I snuggled into his touch.  His hand slid over the side of my neck, his thumb brushed over my jaw. He turned toward me as he started to sit up. His lips crushed mine for a moment. He pulled back and looked into my eyes. 

 

_ Aye those eyes!  Why must he stare so intently?  Why must it smolder in my soul? _

 

His eyes traveled to his fingers as he haphazardly twirled a tendril of my hair. “What?” I calmly asked though underneath it all I was trying to keep a lid on the simmer building within me. Those warm, brown colored pools searched my eyes again.  _ I'm melting... Melting... What a world; what a world. No seriously, I'm absolutely melting right here on this turquoise couch-thing. _ I covered his eyes with my hand. Blindly, he pushed forward and kissed me again.

 

When he pulled back, he pulled my hand away.  “I just like looking at you.” His voice was soft and filled with an emotion I hadn’t ever heard from him.  It was as if he just told me a secret - a secret from deep within him.  There was an honesty about it and even a slight shy embarrassment in it. Whatever it was, it was raw. It was powerful.

 

The sun was now nearly set. The retro incandescent light bulbs strung above us flickered on with a soft hum.  Our waitress came back with fresh beverages and to get our food order.  Sounds of the city drifted from the streets below. I swung around and stretched my legs in front of me and looked at him as he gazed up at the lights. I stretched further and lightly flicked his leg. Joe looked over at me. He swung his legs around and mirrored my position. He looked back and forth from my foot now at his side and my face. A mischievous glint shone in his eyes. His fingertips edged closer to my foot. “I do not suggest you go through with what you are thinking of doing.” He smirked as his hand inched even closer.  “Would you like to ask my mom what happened when she decided she was going to tickle my foot?”

 

His curiosity was peaked. “What happened?”

 

“She got kicked in the face.” I flatly replied.

 

“YOU KICKED YOUR MOTHER IN THE FACE?!?!?”

 

“It wasn’t my fault.  I was four!” I said. He laughed loudly and shook his head. "It's not like I hurt her. She wasn't even mad. She just laughed and laughed." That made him laugh even harder.  the longer he laughed the more irritated I got. I folded my arms over my chest in a huff, tightened my lips, winked my noise, and knit my eyebrows together.

 

"What is that face?" He asked between peals of laughter. 

 

"My angry face."

 

His laughter turned into a full blown guffaw. "You look like a pissed off hamster." He grabbed his phone and snapped a picture, set it aside, and grabbed my ankle. Swiftly he pulled me into his lap -still trying to contain his laughter. He picked up his phone again and showed me the picture. 

 

"Ha." I retorted as I put his phone back down.

 

"Awww Holly, it's adorable," he praised as he kissed my cheek. I glared at him through my squinted eyes. "You’re adorable." He kissed the other cheek. His hands peeled my arms away from my body and around his neck. I sighed to cover the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. His mouth found the base of my neck. A series of soft, warm kisses pressed into my skin. A soft hum in my throat reverberated against his lips. I could feel the smile spread over his face. I wrapped my legs around him and let him continue to bathe my neck with affection.

 

A few minutes later I heard a throat clear.  I looked over my shoulder to find the waitress delivering our food.  We both started laughing as we unhinged ourselves.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Oh my god!  What is that noise and how do I make it stop!” Joe sat straight up in bed and hollered.

 

“I believe it’s your alarm,” I replied with one open eye.  “And why is it going off right now?” It was still dark outside - and not the-sun-is-about-to-rise dark.  It was heaven-help-me-it’s-the-middle-of-the-night dark. 

 

A knock came to the bedroom door. I looked at him with both eyes wide open. “Is everyone descent in there?” A deep voice asked from the other side. 

 

I hopped out of bed and ran to open the door. “Morning Tiny. Do I even want to know why you’re here at this hour?”

 

“SHIT!” Joe threw back the covers and spun into a frenzy. He buzzed back and forth between the bathroom and the closet. 

 

I climbed back up on the bed and watched the melee before I turned back to Tiny.  “Want to clue me in here?”

 

“Someone is scheduled to co-host ‘Today with Mike and Allie’.” Tiny answered as he walked out of the room.  “I’ll be downstairs waiting.”

 

I sat there for a moment chewing my lip as I absorbed the piece of information so nonchalantly shared.  _ What do I do?  Should I get up?  Should I get ready? Should I do nothing? Does he want me go with him? What if he doesn’t want me to go? If I do go, what am I going to do when we get there? _ I heard the shower turn on. I crossed over to the closet and started looking for something to wear. I decided that classic casual would be best.  I grabbed a pair of jeans and tee shirt - and paired them with a cardigan, sneakers, and a woven fedora. Joe flew out of the bathroom and toward the closet. Clothes were pushed and shoved around the closet. I slipped into the bathroom to freshen up. Clearly - with Joe’s rush - I figured taking a shower was out of the question. After smacking a little makeup on, I went downstairs to sit and wait with Tiny.

 

Jackie, the butler, was pouring coffee for Tiny as I entered the living room. I watched Tiny take his cup - it looked like a child’s toy tea-cup in his man-hands. A second cup was poured and set in front of me. We both sipped in silence as we waited. After half a cup, Joe jogged down the stairs.  Jackie handed him a travel mug full of tea. We both stared and waited to for him to say something.  He didn’t. He looked at Tiny and nodded toward the door. He took a couple steps toward me and held out one hand as he guzzled the beverage in the other. I stood up and took his hand. We followed Tiny to the door.  Jackie took his now empty mug and replaced it with a full one. 

 

It was a dark, quiet 10 blocks to the studio.  The car pulled into a brightly lit parking garage. We were escorted into the building and to a dressing room. I eyed the couch against the wall.  We clearly had the same thought. Joe flopped down on the couch. I stood pouting as he stretched out. He opened his arms out to me.  I practically leapt over him to snuggle.  I wedged myself between him and the couch. He tucked me under his arm as I dropped my head to his chest. Joe kissed the top of my head. “Thank you.” I lifted my head a few inches to look him in the eyes. “Thank you for getting up and dressed and coming with me.”  I smiled and popped a kiss on his chest before I put my head back down. I closed my eyes and listened the rhythm of his slow, steady breathing.

 

When I awoke, I was covered with a blanket and alone in the dressing room with only the glow of the tv for lighting. I squinted at the screen. The camera closed in on Joe’s handsome, smiling face. He was dressed in a simple - yet impeccable black suit jacket and soft, butter yellow oxford shirt. I smiled.

 

In the studio, Joe sat behind a high table next to Allie - her usual co-host was on vacation. They playfully bantered back and forth for a few minutes. “So Joe...I was getting ready for our show today - doing my research as I like to do, and I came across a very interesting article.” Panic flared through me as I watched.  My mind sifted through what she could have possibly found. He slowly took a sip from the large purple mug on the table.  Allie shuffled through the stack of periodicals in front of her. “From the Orlando Sentinel’s Community section...” she folded the pages to display a photo of Joe holding Will. The grip of fear within me subsided a bit. "Heartthrob musician, Joe Jonas, took a timeout to cheer and support kids at the runDisney Kids Races during the annual Walt Disney World Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend." She read. Allie set the paper down after the cameraman got a good close-up of the photo. "How was that?"

 

A genuine smile lit up his face. "That was a great weekend! I got to hang out with that awesome little man in the picture. His name is Will - he's five-years-old."

 

"Did you get to do any of the other stuff during the weekend? Did you run the Half Marathon?" She probed.

 

"No I didn't run the big race. But I did get to enjoy a bit of the Food and Wine Festival - where I got to meet my Mom's favorite celebrity chef, and I got to take Will and his Mom to a Halloween party at the Magic Kingdom."

 

"Wow. I bet you made his whole year!" Allie's face wrinkled up a bit, "So you just decided to go to Florida and hang out at Disney World?" She was digging and I didn't like it.

 

Joe reached up and scratched the back of his head. "Well actually Allie,"  _ Oh God. Here we go.  _ I stopped breathing as I waited to hear what he was going to say next. 

 

"Ooooohhhhhhh Joe, I'm gonna cut to the chase, because my sources are telling me you were spotted there and here in New York with a pretty blonde..."

 

"That I can assure you is true... I have been seeing someone who happens to have blonde hair." He grabbed for his mug again.

 

Allie looked directly at the camera, "And we'll be right back with more after this." They cut to commercial.

 

I was glued to the couch, my mind raced. _ Should I go out there? Can I sneak out of here and go back to the hotel? I can hail a cab. What is she going to say when they come back? What will he think if I leave? _ It was the last thought that convinced me not to continue my line of thinking.   _  I trust him.  He will find a way to get back on track. At least I hope so.  _ When they came back from the commercial it was as if the pre-commercial conversation had never taken place.  They moved on with the show’s typical shenanigans - sweepstakes and interviews and stuff. By the end of the show, I had made my way to back of the studio audience. The crowd thinned out, leaving a handful of people, some production-type people, and me.  I walked down the steps toward the set.  Joe looked directly at me and smiled as he signed a few autographs at the bottom of the stairs for some of the stragglers. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed. I winked back. 

 

“I’m sorry Miss, but you’ll have to leave - the show is over,” a studio page declared.

 

I looked at her and opened my mouth to speak. “No she doesn’t,” he responded. He finished with the last fan and reached over for me.  I took his hand and stepped down on the floor. “She’s with me.” He pecked a kiss on the top of my head as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

 

“So this must be the pretty blonde that has you all twitterpated.” Allie smiled.

 

“Allie, I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Holly Carmichael.  Holly, this is Allie McKann.”

 

I extended my hand, “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Allie.”

 

Allie looked at Joe with a raised eyebrow before turning to me, “Girlfriend, huh?”She shook my hand warmly.  “Lucky girl.  Better watch out though, I’m sure there is a frenzy coming your way.”

 

“I am, and thanks... I’m sure there will be.”

 

“I’m pretty sure he’s going to need a nap if you have any plans later on today...  Unless you feel like joining the senior citizen set and go to bed around 7:00. So I’ll let you go.  I’ve gotta pick up my little one from kindergarten soon!”  She quickly hugged me, then gave Joe a hug and kiss on the cheek.  “By the way Joe, you can co-host with me ANYTIME!” With that, she scurried away. 

 

With his arm now draped over my shoulder, Joe guided me back toward the dressing room to gather our belongings. "You know, I think a nap is a great idea. We can order in and lounge around." He suggested.

 

"But what will we do with all that time to ourselves?" I coyly teased.

 

"Oh, I'm sure we can figure something out," he winked

 

“I bet you can,” I laughed back.  He swatted my butt as I scampered away from him.

  
  


The day turned into night and back into morning. I awoke revived and refreshed early. I pulled on my jogging gear and headed to the park. The sun was coloring the sky with pinks and purples creating a sharp contrast between the glow of the night’s light. I followed around East Drive north.  I passed The Pond, the Conservancy, across the Mall, west of the lake, then back to The Plaza. Sweat glistened my face and poured down my back as I waited for the elevator. Walked back into the suite and directly upstairs.  I peeked in the bedroom to find Joe still sleeping. The covers draped over the lower half of his body. I fought the urge to pounce on him. Instead, I burned a trail of kisses up his spine then turned for the shower.

 

I heard the water turn on. I cautiously approached the doorway to the bathroom.  “Good Morning Miss Carmichael. ” Stanford stood near the door. “Your shower is ready - there are towels on the warmer. Please leave your things when you are finished so I may have them laundered.”

 

“Um... Ok.”  _ Do I curtsey to him? I mean he’s the butler, not the Prince of Wales. _ He didn’t move.  _ Does he want a tip? I don’t know how this butler thing works... Maids and nannies sure, but not butlers. _

 

He could see I was struggling with what to do next. “Is there anything else I can get for you, Miss Carmichael?” He asked in an even tone. 

 

“No, thank you, Stanford.” He practically glided out, closing the door behind him. Now feeling self-conscious about a stranger touching my sweaty running clothes, I neatly folded them and left them on the counter. The water was the PERFECT temperature  _ of course it was.  _ It looked like the Best of Beauty issue of  _ Allure _ Magazine was photographed on the wall in the shower.  Every top pick product sat waiting to be used. I stepped into the stream of water and let it wash away the evidence of my workout. I closed my eyes. I pressed my hands against the cold, tiny square tiles.  _ If this is heaven, I never want to leave.  _

 

I didn’t hear the door open or close. I was so enveloped in the serene rain and steam surrounding me that I didn’t notice a bottle being taken off the shelf. Two strong hands dove into my hair, tenderly massaging my scalp. The alluring scent of wild ginger perfumed the air. I took a little step back from the spray and tilted my head back. Once each and every strand was thoroughly sudsed, the hands left my head. I took a breath, squeezed my eyes tightly, and straightened back under the water’s stream. Bubbles slid down my backside. Once I was sure all traces of shampoo were gone, I waited for the next step.  My wait wasn’t long. After quickly squeezing out the excess water, thick conditioner was smoothed through each strand. A second scalp massage started and worked its way to my neck, gently easing any semblance of tension that could have possibly been stored in the muscles. After several minutes, a well-lathered mesh sponge worked it’s way across my back and over my shoulders. Rich, creamy lather covered my skin. I turned toward him and open my eyes. His gaze was affixed on my body, ensuring every inch was cleansed. 

 

I grabbed his wrists. Joe's eyes finally locked on mine. I twisted the scrubbie from his hand and dropped it to the shower floor.  I opened his arms and pressed my soapy body to his. I tilted my head up and pressed my lips into his neck. We turned and moved back under the shower’s rain. His hands reached up and pushed the hair that flattened against his forehead. My hands raked over his body. Now it was my turn to pamper him. I tenderly washed his hair then grabbed a pair of bath gloves.  I squeezed a fair amount of body scrub into the gloves and started exfoliating.  There was a slight pink tint to his skin when I was done.

 

He turned off the water as I pushed the door open.  I grabbed the towels off the warming rack; wrapped one around me then one around his waist.  His mouth was on my skin in an instant - warm lips picking up beads of moisture before they could roll down my body. His teeth pulled at the towel I had just put on. He turned and pinned me against the tiled wall with the weight of his body. His tongue found the space between my breasts and skimmed over until he caught my nipple. His teeth lightly clamped down sending a rush of excitement through me. His arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me up. My legs found their place around his hips. He maneuvered the top of his manhood into me. My hands flew to the walls behind me - searching for something to grab. There was nothing. My hands fell to his shoulders and pushed against his strength, creating some sort of balance between us and the wall. His hips pushed up into me. Our breathing was rushed and ragged. Pants turned to pitchy yips of pleasure. 

 

He held me tightly a swung around.  I was suddenly perched on the edge of the countertop. My hands glommed the edges of the sinks on either side of me.  He pushed me back. My head rested against the mirror’s gilded frame. His hips pursued their rhythm. Yips became full-blown moans that echoed until we both reached the finish line. His body went limp though somehow between my legs still wrapped around him and his hands pressed into the marble counter, he managed to stay on his feet. His head came to rest on my stomach. I gently stroked his hair in silence. 

 

Movement came slowly, but eventually he stood back up. He leaned toward me, eyes fixed on mine. “Good morning,” he finally spoke before brushing a kiss on my lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics to "Never Have I Ever" performed by Hot Chelle Rae; 2009. Written by Ryan Follese and Nash Overstreet


	8. Something's Coming

_ Could it be? Yes, it could.  _

_ Something's coming, something good,  _

_ If I can wait!  _

_ Something's coming, I don't know what it is,  _

_ But it is  _

_ Gonna be great!  _

 

As the morning waxed on, anxiety started to spread through me. It was almost noon. My conference call was an hour away.  I danced and paced across the living room of the suite. "Holly. Honey. Everything is going to be fine." Joe encouraged from behind his laptop. An exasperated sigh escaped my lips. He set the computer aside. “Come here... sit down.” He brushed the empty space next to him. I melodramatically threw myself on the couch. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so nervous.” He chucked. 

 

“I just don’t know what they’re going to say... what they want... what they’re going to offer. I mean will it be enough to walk away from my job?”

 

He empathetically pulled me closer. “They came to you, right?” I nodded. “I’m sure their offer will be sufficient. Only you will know what will be enough.  I’m sure there’s something that can be worked out with your boss so you don’t have to walk away from a job I know you love.” He kissed my forehead. “Now, I’m going to go over to the studio so I don’t interrupt your call and get a little work done myself.  I’ll be back in a couple hours. Call me and let me know what happened?” Again I nodded.  He gathered his things and headed out the door with the Big Man in tow.

 

When my phone rang I stared at it for a moment before picking it up. “Hi Honey. I just wanted to chat with you for a minute before the conference call.”

 

“Hi Mom. Thank you. I am freaking out here!”

 

She laughed. “Oh Honey. You have nothing to worry about. They want you. They know what you can do and how amazing you can be. I think their offer is perfect for you.”

 

“You know what it is?”

 

“Of course I do, Sweetheart. Now listen. I’m not going to be on the call with you. But you can do this. I know you can. I love you. And Daddy and I will see you really soon.”

 

“Ok Mom. Do you want me to call you after?”

 

“Oh no. That’s ok. I’ll know what happened soon enough. I have to go now, Kitten. Be good.” She hung up.

 

I set the phone back down and waited for the next ring. I didn’t have to wait too long.  "Good afternoon, Holly Carmichael." I tried to sound calm and professional.

 

"Yes, good afternoon Holly. Gabriel Goodwin here along with the rest of the team from  _ Celebrity Dancing.   _ No doubt your mother has told you we are interested in adding you to our group of professional dancers. Well yes of course she has, else we wouldn't taking this meeting. Anyway my dear, what do you say?" Gabriel spoke the King's English.

 

"Well Mr. Goodwin, I have a couple of questions before I can answer that."

 

"I'm sure you do, but please call call me Gabriel. Have at it then, we're happy to answer any and all questions."

 

"Alright then, Gabriel. Firstly, what does the position entail?"

 

"I suppose that would be good to know. Your mother did mention you might be a hard sell." He laughed. "We'll start you off as a choreographer for the group numbers and to assist the more seasoned professionals with their charges. It would require roughly 20 hours a week in rehearsal time plus show days."

 

That didn't sound too bad.

 

"Secondly if I signed on, when would I start?"

 

"Well darling, the season begins the third week in May. Rehearsals are slated to begin the first week of April. But of course we'd have you come in beforehand to meet everyone."

 

"And thirdly what about my mom's job?"

 

"Aren't you a thoughtful child. Your mother had assured us that there will be no conflict of interest. Though she will still be working for the company, she will be heading up the tour production. Which is an avenue she has been expressing great interest in for quite some time."

 

"When do I have to give you my answer? It's quite a bit to think about and I will need to get some things in order if I choose to agree."

 

"Smart girl. We will definitely need your response - whatever you choose by month's end."

 

"Well thank you for your time, Gabriel. I will be sure to get back to you before then. I appreciate the opportunity you have presented me both as a dancer and a choreographer."

 

"Um... Holly dear? Is there anything else you'd like to inquire?" He hesitantly asked.

 

"No Sir. You have answered ask my questions."

 

"But you haven't asked about your salary?"

 

"Mr. Goodwin - Gabriel with all due respect, I would like to contemplate this matter without factoring in the monetary aspect. There truly is no price that can be paid for one's passion."

 

"Well said. Then we shall wait to hear from you to discuss that bit. Thank you Holly. And enjoy the rest of your time in New York."

 

"Thank you. I will." I ended the conversation and sat on the couch blindly staring at the darkened screen. I had much to think about and only a few weeks to decide my future.

 

My phone lit up with a text. "Omg! Have you seen the picture on TMZ?" The message from Roxy burned in my sight. Before I could even respond, several more similar messages flashed. I quickly typed the website into my phone’s browser.

 

Right there, the very first picture in the feed was a picture of me straddling Joe’s lap taken at Sky View two days earlier. The headline read, “Not So Squeaky Clean Fun!” I immediately went to the blurb below. “It seems Joe Jonas is all grown up! The day before admitting to being ‘involved’ on  _ Today With Mike and Allie _ he was spotted canoodling with this blonde beauty at Sky View in NYC.”

 

I could feel my cheeks burning; partly from anger, partly from mortification. I closed the browser and opened my messages to Joe. “CHECK OUT TMZ!!!!” I mashed into the keyboard.

 

I replied in turn to each message from my friends, “WTH? OMG!”

 

In a matter of seconds, my phone was ringing. “Holly! OMG!  What are you going to do? How did they get that picture? What were you doing? What are your parents going to say?!?!?!?” Roxy blurted.

 

“I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s not what it looks like. And I have no idea. I am screwed!” I answered each of her questions.

 

“I didn’t even know you went to New York!  I thought you were still in Florida! Your Dad is going to freak out! What did Joe say?”

 

“He hasn’t said anything yet. I texted him right before you called. I’m hoping since my name isn’t mentioned, my parents won’t see it.” My phone jingled, signaling another call coming in. I looked at it for a second. “Rox. Thanks for letting me know. I have to go. Joe is on the other line.” I quickly clicked over to the other call. “HI!” I frantically answered.

 

“Holly. It’s ok.” His tone was very calm. 

 

“IT’S OK?!” I was exasperated by his statement. “What are we going to do?”

 

“Yes. Everything is going to be ok. We aren’t going to do anything.”

 

“What do you mean we aren’t going to do anything?!”

 

“Exactly that. We aren’t going to do anything about it. We are going to keep doing like we’ve been doing - like we never even saw it.” My eyes were about to bug out.  _ Did I hear him correctly?  _ “How was your conference call?” He quickly changed the subject.

 

“What?! How can you ask me that right now?!”

 

“Honey. Calm down.” 

 

_ Did he just tell me to calm down? What a guy thing to say!  _ “I will not calm down!  That picture looks... Well that picture suggests... Well it makes it look like something else!”

 

“Yes, that picture has no context to what was going on at the time. That’s what they do. Would you like to know what that picture looks like to me?” I may have murmured something. “To me, I see a two people enjoying the chance to spend some time together. Which IS the truth. So what’s there to say or do to that?”

 

I scrunched up my face at his explanation. I sighed, “Nothing. You’re right. There is nothing to be said or done to that.”

 

“I’m sorry. What was that you just said? Did you just say I was right?” He gloated.

 

“Yeah... I did. Don’t get used to that.” I was glaring.

 

“You’re making that face again aren’t you?” I laughed. “So.. Crisis averted?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Good. Now tell me about your conference call.” He listened patiently while I rehashed the short conversation I had with Gabriel. “I’m guessing you aren’t going to have an answer today.”

 

“Hardly!” 

 

“Well then, I say we do something to take your mind off of it entirely.”

 

“I don’t quite see how that will help, but ok.”

 

“I’ve got a few more things to finish up here and a couple errands to run. So I’m going to be awhile. In the meantime, there is a car waiting downstairs for you. I want you to get in it.  The driver has specific instructions. You must do exactly as he tells you.”

 

“Ummmm...”

 

"Holly, please. It'll be fun, I promise." I couldn't argue with him. I agreed. 

 

By the time I hung up the phone, Stanford was standing near the foyer with my purse. "Shall we Miss?"

 

I stood up and followed him out the door. “Stanford, may I ask you a personal question?”

 

“Certainly Miss Carmichael.”

 

“Firstly, will you please call me Holly. And secondly, how did you become a butler?”

 

“Yes of course, Holly.  I come from a long line of butlers. My father was a butler at The Plaza, as was his father before him, as is my son. In fact, members of my family have worked here since the doors opened in 1907.”

 

“May I ask you about Joe?” He looked at me questioningly. “Are you always Joe’s butler, I mean when he stays here?”

 

“The short answer is yes. Here at The Plaza, we believe it is one of the best ways to ensure we provide the best service possible.” 

 

I nodded as we entered the elevator. “I understand that. I work in the service industry myself.”

 

“Master Joseph mentioned your work. It was one of the reasons he wanted to make sure we took good care of you - because, as he put it, you always take care of everyone else first.” 

 

Stanford escorted me through the lobby and out to a waiting sedan. “Speaking of Master Joseph. Does he often bring ladies to stay at The Plaza?”

 

He grimaced at my question. “I’m not permitted to answer that question Holly...”  _ I figured there was some sort of butler code. _ “ But if I were, I would assure you that this is the first time he has been here with someone like you. Now please, watch your step getting into the car.” He smiled warmly. “Darryl will take over from here.”

 

A tall Hulk of a man dressed in a black suit opened the back passenger door. “Good Afternoon Miss Carmichael. My name is Darryl. I will be driving you today.”

 

I ducked my head and slid into the car. “Thank you Darryl.” He waited for me to put on my seatbelt before he closed the door. He ran around to the other side and got behind the wheel. “Darryl?” He looked at me in the rear view mirror. “Where are we going?” He smiled broadly before he reached into the seat next to him and handed me a small box. He pulled out into traffic. I tugged on the ribbon of the box. Inside sat a cream colored card with carefully written words on it.

 

_ Oh yeah,  _

_ I'll tell you something _

_ I think you'll understand _

_ When I say that something _

_ I want to hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand. _

 

I smiled as I brought the card to my lips. After a few blocks, Darryl stopped the car in front of a cafe . He came around to open my door. "Stop number 1."

 

I followed as he opened the door to Via Quadronno. The bold, rich fragrance of coffee filled my nose. Darryl nodded as I headed to the counter. Without a word, the barista simply beamed as she handed me another box. She carefully poured the foam into a cup of espresso - forming a perfect series of hearts. I thanked her. I quickly pulled my phone from my pocket and snapped a picture before she put a lid on the cup.

 

Darryl ushered me out and back into the car. I took a sip of the steaming hot drink.  _  Delicious.  _ I nestled the cup in the holder beside me.  I sent the picture I had taken to Joe before turning to the second box. A note was scrawled in silver on a deep brown square of paper.

 

_ Oh please say to me _

_ You'll let me be your man _

_ And please say to me _

_ You'll let me hold your hand _

_ You'll let me hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand _

 

Somewhere in this note was a clue to the next location, but I couldn’t figure it out. Luckily, I didn’t have to ponder it very long. We made a series of turns before we ended up at Rockefeller Center. With one hand held out and the other on my back, I was guided into Jacques Torres, Chololatier. Again, Daryl nodded.  The gentleman behind the counter ran to the back. A moment later, Jacques himself came out from behind the counter. “Ah Holly! A little birdie told me you were coming by today.” He reached for my hands as he greeted me.

 

I was a bit taken aback, “Hello Jacques! How nice it is to see you again!” I took his hands. 

 

He held mine up and kissed my knuckles. “Tell me, how is your papa? He is not with you today?”

 

“He is quite well, thank you. But no, he is not with me on this trip. I’ll send him your regards.”

 

“I did not think so. But I do have a little something for you!” He snapped his fingers and the man behind the counter brought him two boxes. Jacques presented me with the first box. “I picked your favorites!” I quickly took another photo and sent it to Joe. I smiled at Jacques as he closed the box and tied his signature orange ribbon around it.

 

“Merci,” I smacked a light kiss on his cheek.

 

“Wait ma chere. One more thing,” he handed over the second box. It was identical to the other two I had already received. He gave me a quick hug before Darryl and I headed for the next stop. Once in car, I popped a champagne truffle in my mouth. I broke the shell with my tongue and let the sweet, creamy filling spread across my palate. I opened the next box. This one held an opalescent blush colored square with the same handwriting as the other two notes.

 

_ And when I touch you  _

_ I feel happy inside _

_ It's such a feeling that my love _

_ I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide _

 

The next leg of the journey took longer than the ones before it.  _  More time for coffee and chocolate!  _ “Hey Darryl,” I spoke between sips. “Have you ever driven someone on a scavenger hunt like this before?”

 

He chuckled for a moment. “Are you asking if I’ve driven a scavenger hunt EVER or have I ever driven a scavenger hunt for Joe?”

 

I bit into another deliciously sinful piece of chocolate. I sat up and leaned against the front seat and offered a piece to him. “Both, I guess.”

 

He reached over and took one from the box. “Nope. Which leads to me to believe one of three things... He’s screwed up BIG TIME. He’s about to be really busy for awhile. OR he is totally head-over-heels-crazy about you. I’m really hoping it’s the latter.”

 

I sat back again.  _  You and me both Mister.  _ I stared out the window and watched the city go by. And thought about Darryl’s list.  _ I’m pretty sure he hasn’t screwed up. But the second could be true. That kind of makes everything make sense... _ The car eased to a stop in front of a wall of glass and shining steel. 

 

“If you don’t mind, I’ll stay out here,” Darryl excused himself once he signaled to the sales assistant.

 

“I understand completely.” I was, after all, walking into La Perla. 

 

“Good Afternoon!  You must be Holly! I am so pleased to meet you! I’m Katherine and I’m here to get you a few things.” She introduced as I started to meander around. 

 

My fingers grazed over the silky fabrics.  _ A few things? A few expensive things!  _  I did not want to think about how much “a few things” was going to cost. “Um... Great! Thank you.”

 

“First things first, I need to know what color you would prefer. And then I’ll need to get a couple of measurements from you.” 

 

“Maybe something in a dark blue?” She smiled and nodded with approval. She ushered me back to a dressing room to take measurements. A few minutes later, she returned with every style of bra, slip, and panty in dark blue. I picked out the styles I preferred before she scurried away again. 

 

When she returned, she carried three white bags and another small box. I took yet another picture and sent it to Joe. I don’t really know why I was sending him pictures. He clearly knew where I was going. I guess so he would know I was playing along and what progress was being made. Katherine walked me to the door and handed the bags over to Darryl before she handed me the box. “Thank you for coming in today!” She beamed. 

 

“She sure seems cheerful,” Darryl noted.

 

“You would be too if you knew how much this cost.” He put me back in the car. "How many stops are left?"

 

"I'm not giving you a number, but we're about half-way done." I opened the box in my hand. The box had a gold square in it:

 

_ Yeah, you got that something _

_ I think you'll understand _

_ When I say that something _

_ I want to hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand _

 

By now I had figured out it was the color of the paper that was the clue, but I wasn't to sure what the gold would represent.  _ It could be jewelry. That would be highly unlikely though... Wouldn't it?  _ Just as I started to ponder that thought, we arrived at Christian Dior. This time I captured a picture before going inside. 

 

Darryl stood behind me as I was asked about my preference of fragrance. After weeding out the candidates, the sales person wrapped up a bottle of J'adore. I opened the box she placed next to the bag before I walked away. The card was silver.  _ What in the world? _

 

_ And when I touch you  _

_ I feel happy inside _

_ It's such a feeling that my love _

_ I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide _

 

We could have walked to the next destination in the time it took us to drive - Stephen Knoll Ltd.  Darryl looked over the seat at me. "This one may take awhile." 

 

Once inside the luxury salon, I was wished to a private "beauty suite." A host of people scurried in. "Welcome Holly." A rather flamboyant man approached with arms wide open.  "I am Garth. My team of artists and I are here to pamper you." Before I could make a peep, someone started taking my hair from it's ponytail. Another surveyed my skin, as a third examined my nails. They worked at a frenzied pace smoothing, shaping, and prepping. I was offered snacks, beverages, and magazines. A fourth person kept running in, carrying packages, and dropping them behind an upholstered screen. An hour easily passed before they all stepped back.  Garth took me by the hand and led me over to the screen.  “Everything is laid out. Time to get dressed.”

 

_ Dressed? Dressed for what? _

 

Spread out before me on a velvet chaise were the undergarments purchased earlier.  Hanging on the back of the screen was a gorgeous, delicately beaded, navy blue strapless pencil dress. On the floor below it sat a pair of Prada platform pumps in nude. There was a note pinned to the hanger:

 

_ Usure en bonne santé _

_ -JM _

 

“Wear in good health, huh?” I said to myself.  “I certainly will.” I carefully changed clothes and slipped my feet in the shoes.

 

I stepped out and noticed only Garth remained.  “You look stunning, “ he breathed. I turned around for him before I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Suddenly, his face twitched. “No wait... something is missing.” I looked myself over before I realized he was holding a trio of boxes. I didn’t need to look inside to know where they came from.  My stomach dropped as he handed me the first, and biggest of the three, blue Tiffany trademark boxes.  I white tag dangled from the ribbon.

 

_ Yeah, you got that something _

_ I think you'll understand _

_ When I feel that something _

_ I want to hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand _

_ I want to hold your hand _

 

A soft blue pouch sat between folds of tissue paper. I emptied it into my hand. Diamonds curved into a delicate scroll pendant attached to a chain. Garth took it from my hands and expertly hung it around my neck. I stared in the mirror as it shimmered under the lights. The second box held a pair of diamond solitaire earrings.  They were quickly screwed into my earlobes. And then we came to the third and final box - the smallest of them all.  A black velvet box sat inside. My fingers trembled as I opened it. I slowly coaxed open the hinged box. It nearly fell from my hands when I saw the delicate scrolled diamond covered band. 

 

Garth slipped the ring out of the box and placed it on my right hand. “All right, my pretty. Now that everything is in place, it’s time to get you out of here.”He took my left hand and pulled me out of the chair. An assistant followed behind us with all of my things bagged up.

 

Darryl met us at the door and took the bags. “I think someone’s plan may have may have worked a bit too well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Something's Coming" as performed in West Side Story; 1957. Written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.


	9. Nothin' Like You

_ Nothin' like you _

_ Shades on spinning in a summer rain _

_ Dancing in the rain no music _

_ Just the right kind of crazy, baby _

_ Something about you _

_ Rocking that rock 'n roll t-shirt _

_ We're at a party dressed up _

_ But you just doing your thing _

_ Ain't nobody ever seen nothin' like you _

 

I fidgeted in the backseat all the way down to the 59th Street Bridge. Traffic crawled as sedans sat stacked waiting to drop off their passengers. When Darryl finally pulled up to Guastavino’s, a valet reached for the door the moment the car stopped moving. I looked at Darryl in the rearview mirror. “Have fun! He smiled.  I positioned myself to slide out of the backseat. “Oh and Holly?” I turned back to him. “Today has truly been a pleasure.” I beamed back at him before I took the valet’s hand and stepping away from the vehicle. The door closed and he was gone.

 

The lights and sounds of a party carried up towards the bridge.  Taking a deep breath, I started for the 5 steps up to the courtyard. The ring on my finger caught my attention as I reached for the handrail.  It shimmered brilliantly under the lighting.  Joe stepped out from the left when I got to the third step. I froze immediately. I wanted every detail of this moment burned into my memory. He looked like an ad for some brand of haute couture. One hand pushed into his pants pocket, the other extended to me. The grey suit he had fitted days before hugged his frame perfectly - every line, every stitch was cut and finished with exacting precision. Not unlike the dress I had on. I noticed a narrow navy blue tie around his neck.  _ Awww we match.  _

 

I took his hand. He practically pulled me up the two remaining steps.  "You look amazing," he whispered in my ear before his lips grazed mine. He looped my arm through his.  "Are you ready to meet the public?" Before I could answer, we were headed down a red carpet and into the throngs that hugged the press line. We made a series of stops along the line to pose for pictures and for Joe to answer questions from various reporters. Each time a question was asked, I took a step back while he answered.

 

“Joe!  Who have you brought with you tonight?” One reporter shouted over the hum of questions being thrown out to anyone that stopped. 

 

He extended his arm out toward me. I slipped my hand into his. He pulled me closer then slid his arm around my waist. “Tonight I brought my girlfriend, Holly Carmichael.”  _ And there it is. He said it out loud to people who are listening, recording, and streaming footage to satellite trucks beaming the information around the world. I can do this. It’s like when I was a kid and I would go as Dad’s date to whatever charity event he attended. Granted then it was cute and endearing. Now, though still endearing, it was worlds different than a father taking his little girl out. There would be ripples throughout the ethos.  _

 

“Holly Carmichael? Youngest daughter of the Guest of Honor this evening?” The reporter asked.

 

_ Wait. What? The who? _

 

I casually tried to search the press line. About halfway down, I heard a familiar sound... My mother’s laugh. I stood on my tiptoes in an effort to locate it. And that’s when I saw them. My parents. Both of them!  “Daddy?” 

 

“KITTEN!” My father blurted from a few stops back. “It was the oddest thing. We have been asked by several reporters if our daughter was here as someone’s date. I should have known.” He scurried over to Joe and I and ushered us back to where my mother was talking about the most  recent season of  _  Celebrity Dancing _ with a reporter. 

 

Joe looked down sheepishly. “I’m sorry Sir. I’ve had Holly running around town all afternoon on a scavenger hunt. She had no idea we would be here tonight.” He turned back to me holding out both his palms, “Surprise!”

 

“No need to be sorry, Son. Well done! It’s been ages since I’ve been out with two of my girls.” My dad turned back to the reporter, laughing about it being a “family affair.” The four of us now posed for a new barrage of flashes.

 

I took my mom’s hand when we stepped toward the next set of media. “Oooh Mom. We are so gonna talk later. But for now, I’d like you to meet Joe Jonas - my boyfriend. Joe - this is my mom, Bonnie Masters-Carmichael.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Carmichael.” He reached for her hand and lightly kissed the back of her hand.  _ Charming... Joe 1; Mom 0. _

 

She giggled and shrugged.  _  What was that? She just turned into a schoolgirl! Oh, he is good! _ “Joseph, I’m pleased to see you’re taking such good care of my daughter. And that you’ve gotten her to take some time off from work!” 

 

My cheeks burned from having spent nearly 90 minutes smiling. We finally headed to the entrance of the building. Banners streamed overhead announcing the 6th annual Heart of Gold Gala - honoring Chef Rand Carmichael. My eyes went wide.  _ What? How did I not know about this? And why did my mother flip out days ago when I said I was in New York if they were going to be here too?  _

 

“Chef! Bonnie! Welcome!” A well dressed woman stopped.

 

“Cheryl! How lovely to see you!” My mother beamed as hugs and air-kisses were doled out. She turned to Joe and I. “This is our daughter Holly and her boyfriend Joe.”

 

Panic flashed across the woman’s eyes as she smiled. “Oh. I didn’t know your daughter was coming.”

 

“Neither did we!” My father laughed.

 

"We'll correct the seating immediately." Cheryl announced.

 

"That's not necessary," I spoke up. “We have seats. It would be a gross inconvenience to others.”

 

"Of course it's necessary!" Cheryl refuted. "The guest of honor simply MUST have his family seated with him!" And just like that, the conversation was over. A flurry of activity followed as Cheryl and her team deftly moved the seating around. A waiter stopped in front of us with a tray of champagne. Something told me I was going to need quite a bit more to get through this evening.

 

“So Joseph, how did you come to know about this event?” My mother asked.

 

“The newsletter,” he matter of factly replied. I nearly snurked my champagne as my father heartily laughed and slapped him on the back. “I’ve been contributing Heart Full of Love for years.”  _ Charitable - Joe 2; Mom 0. _ “I buy tickets for the Gala every year. But I haven’t had a chance to actually attend.  I usually give them away. This year though, I knew I was going to be in town. So I kept the tickets. And when Holly agreed to come to New York, I figured we would make a night of it.”

 

“Well I for one can’t thank you enough!” My dad beamed and shook Joe’s hand again.

 

The cocktail hour came to a close. Patrons immediately went to their tables and took their seats. We were escorted to our table front and center. A few higher-ups from the board were seated with us. Introductions went around.  _ It’s times like this I really wish the world wore nametags. _

 

After a series of speakers welcoming everyone, making announcements, and an invocation, dinner was served. Music lilted through the enormous space. About halfway through the salad course I recognized one of the songs. They had been playing the music of my dad’s favorite bands the whole time. I smiled remembering the times my dad and I futzed around the kitchen listening to these songs. 

 

Before long, the President of the charity was up with a presentation. The room went dark as video of my dad’s great work was displayed. The room went wild when he made his way to the dais. Once all was settled, he began to speak:

 

“Good evening and thank you all for coming. As parents, we all want to teach our children about love, compassion, and giving to those in need. It was the Fall of 1990 when I was first approached to help cook Thanksgiving dinner for a fund raiser. Instead of our usual trip to grandma’s, Bonnie and I packed up our three children - a ten year old, a 6 year old, and a toddler in the midst of her terrible twos - and took them to a soup kitchen in the heart of Los Angeles. We had no idea what was in store for us. But we knew we were doing something good. Something that would enrich our lives for years to come. That was the beginning of my connection to this great organization. I have spent my career with some of the most talented, creative, and egotistical chefs around the world. But something happens when we leave our restaurants and come together - with our families to serve those who have less than we could ever imagine living with and those who have far more serious health needs than we ourselves have ever had to face. It’s like at the end of ‘Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ our hearts grew three sizes that day. And a heart that big has so much to give. So thank you for the opportunity to give that love. Thank you to my beautiful wife, Bonnie, for joining me on this journey of giving. Thank you to my daughter, Holly, who shows me every day a new way to give. And thank you all for your gracious donations to this amazing group that only knows how to do one thing - give.” Thunderous applause resounded through the hall.

 

I reached across for my mom’s hand. I could see the glimmer of a tear in the corner of her eye. We watched as dad received a plaque and shook hands with every person that came near. Music started up again. My mother was first to get up and grab my father’s hand. Cheryl swooped in to take his accolades from him. A spotlight shone brightly on the pair. They spun around like Fred and Ginger reincarnated. Joe stood up beside me and extended a hand, “Would you care to dance?” We took to the floor, securing a spot next to my parents before the rush of people converged on the dance floor. 

 

He twirled me in and we fell in time with the music. I couldn’t help looking over at my parents. They practically glowed. “One day, I promise to make you that happy.” He whispered.

 

I pressed a kiss into his neck. “One day, I’ll make you keep it.”

 

The tempo changed to a waltz. Joe’s arm fell from my waist. “Hang on a second.” He completely let go of me and turned to my father, “May I cut in?”

 

With a wink, Dad handed over my mother.  _ Joe - 3; Mom - 0  _ My dad opened his frame to me, I giggled and took his hand. He moved us out of earshot from Joe and Mom. “Oh little girl you are in such trouble aren’t you?” He was teasing, as he usually did when it came to my relationships. I nodded. “This one is different though, I think.”

 

“Yes Daddy. I am and he most definitely is.”

 

“I like him. He’s so different than Matt.”

 

I looked at him sternly. “Please. Let’s not talk about Matt.”

 

“Now Kitten,” he warned. “I’m not saying anything about him. I’m talking about Joe. From what I’ve seen he is kind and respectful. He makes time for you. He is thoughtful and most of all, Holly - he loves you. I can’t say the same for any of your past boyfriends.”

 

“I don’t know about that Dad.”

 

“What? That he loves you? Honey, please don’t tell me you are blind. Everyone in this room can see it. Anyone who looks at Page 6 tomorrow will see it. Hell, anyone who watched him on that show yesterday could see it in the brief moment he spoke of you. Look at him.” I turned my head to see Joe dancing with my Mom. They were talking about something. Both of them smiling broadly. Suddenly, my mom’s head tilted back as she roared with laughter. He caught my eye and winked over at me. “See? That is love. I know that look well. It’s the same look I have every time I look at your mother.” I didn’t know what to say. My dad kissed my cheek. “It’s ok.  I know you’re mind is now racing 100 miles a minute. Any second, a wave of anxiety is going to crash down on you; and though you are going to appear calm on the outside, you will be freaking out on the inside. I know thinking about everything that comes with a man of his stature scares you immensely. But Holly, you can do it. If you love him half as much as I can tell he loves you, you will be fine.”

 

“But Daddy, we haven’t said that.”

 

“That my dear, doesn’t matter. Just because neither of you have said the words yet, doesn’t make it any less true.”

 

The song was winding down. “Great.  Thanks for putting all these serious thoughts in my head.”

 

“You’re welcome my darling. That’s what dads are for.”

 

Joe returned my mom to her lifelong dance partner and collected me from my father. The event was winding down. “Chef...”

 

“I told you to call me Rand.”

 

“I’m sorry. Rand, Bonnie - if you'll excuse us, we have one more engagement to attend this evening.” We said our goodbyes. 

 

The red carpet and media were gone. Cobblestones lined the wide garden path. Joe took my hand and walked me out. A breeze blew off the East River. Joe took off his jacket and slipped it over my shoulders. "So what is this engagement have left to attend?"

 

"It's a surprise."

 

The car stopped in front of a brick building dotted with square plate glass windows. A small plaque announced we were at Edison Arts - a space for mixed media arts. An easel sat just inside the door. Tonight’s exhibit consisted of digital photography. Clusters of photos hung on the exposed brick walls - their spotlights provided the only lighting in the rooms. Joe waved to a few people as we made our way over to get a drink.

 

He started a conversation with the owner of the gallery. I sauntered over to look at some of the exhibits. The photos were an array of subjects from landscapes to still lifes, animals and people. They were in color, black and white; some used filters to enhance the brightness, other filters made photos look aged and gritty. I turned a corner to a back room where I saw them. Enlarged on the far wall were three pictures - one of me hunched over the grand balcony railing looking up at the sky. A second photo captured of me as I had walked toward him. And the third as I stood backlit in the doorway looking over my shoulder at him.

 

His hand brushed lightly against my thigh moments before his arms wrapped around me. “Do you like them?”

 

I stared at the pictures a moment longer before I turned to him. “They’re magnificent. I love them.” I breathed. I crushed my lips to his. My fingers toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck.

 

He pulled back enough to look me in the eyes. His hands moved up to the sides of my face - his thumbs resting along my jaw; his fingers gently held the back of my head. “I love you.”

 

His words echoed in mind. That night when we got back to the hotel and made love. Two days later when I was on a plane back to California. And every day since. Any time I thought of Joe, those three little words filled my ears. But time waits for no man. He had a schedule to get back to and so did I. It may have only been October, but my calendar was already filled with meetings and events into the new year. And there was still the matter of  _ Celebrity Dancing  _ to contend with.

 

A week later, I sat down with my boss to discuss the matter. We worked out a deal where he would assign me one event a month so I didn’t have to quit. Then he handed over a calendar with my schedule blocked out - for the most part until then.

 

Joe and I talked and texted daily at first. It gradually turned to every other day; then once a week. By the time Christmas came around, it had been a week since I’d heard from him. I threw myself into work. There were PLENTY of things going on to keep me, my mind, and my heart occupied.

 

I sat on my couch reviewing plans for a new event when the doorbell rang. Maps and timelines flew to the floor in my haste to answer it. The mailman stood on the other side smiling. “Certified mail for Miss Holly Carmichael.” He handed over his clipboard for me to sign. I took the large envelope and went back to the couch. There was no doubt in my mind who it was from. There was a card attached to a very slim wrapped package.

 

_ “Open me second”  _  was scrawled across the envelope. I set it aside and peeled back the tape. Nestled in the folds of red and green sat a first class ticket to Hawai’i. I sighed and went back to the card:

 

“ _ My Dear, Sweet, Amazing Girlfriend who I miss so much, _

 

_ I know things have been extremely hectic and we’ve barely had a moment to  ourselves. I’m sure your work has been crazy with all the holidays and stuff. So I propose that after the holidays are over - say like in February - we meet in Hawaii. for a late Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, and early Birthday? Just say yes and get on the plane. I’ll see you in Honolulu. _

 

_ I love you. I miss you more than you know. _

 

_ J-” _

 

I sighed loudly. I took a picture of the plane ticket and sent it to Roxy. She responded in a second. “Seriously? He sent you a ticket to Hawai’i?!!! Tell me you’re going!”

 

“I don’t know, Rox.”

 

“What do you mean ‘you don’t know’?”

 

“My schedule is completely laid out from now until March.”

 

“I get that, but really Holly?”

 

“I’ll think about it. I promise.”

 

“What the hell is there to think about?! You could be here with the rain and the cold, or you could be in freaking Hawai’i with Joe!” 

 

I stared at the ticket.  _ What the Hell am I going to do?  _ My thought process was curtailed as a new message lit up my screen. I opened it to find a picture of a smiling Joe wearing the new helmet I bought him. I laughed as the message morphed into a phone call. “Hi Honey.” I answered.

 

"It's perfect! Thank you so much! How did you know which one I wanted? Did you get my present?"

 

"I'm really glad you like it. And simple, I listened. You did talk about wanting a new helmet. Yes, I got your present."

 

"So you'll go?"He asked. I sighed in response. “Why? Why can’t you just call in sick or something?”

 

"Joe, I can’t. My schedule is already blocked out that week. In fact, I’m booked solidly for three weeks in February. I have to work. I'm really sorry. Maybe we can transfer it to a different week?"

 

“Yeah... sure.”

 

“Don’t take that tone with me. You said yourself our schedules make it difficult to spend a lot of time together. That doesn’t just mean your schedule you know. I may not be circling the globe on the world stage, but my schedule is pretty hectic too! Not to mention I can’t call in sick to work then have pictures of us gallivanting across Oahu end up in US Weekly.”

 

“That’s not fair Holly.” He warned.

 

“You’re right. It’s not fair. But neither is expecting me to drop everything on my calendar when you do have free time.”

 

_ Oh if only I had known then why my boss had blocked out all that time. _

  
  
  
  


"Flight 914 non-stop service to Honolulu now boarding First Class Passengers at gate C5." The attendant called.  _ Is it really necessary to say non-stop service? Where would you stop a plane in the middle of the Pacific?  _ I stood up from my seat and gathered my my carry-on luggage. A week ago, Al finally told me he was sending me on a three week business trip to assist with the media blitz at our newest property. The first thing I did when I got the confirmation email from Corporate Travel was upgrade to First Class.

 

As per usual, I was checking my seatbelt for the umpteenth time when I was interrupted by a laugh, “I thought you weren’t nervous about flying?” He said. 

 

I looked up into those melty brown pools I loved.. My jaw dropped open “But how? What? Oh my god!!” I immediately tried to stand up, but was stopped by my seatbelt. Metal clanged as I unbuckled it and tossed it aside. I stood straight up and smacked my head on the overhead compartment. With a whimper, I landed back in my seat.

 

Joe laughed as he slid into the seat beside me. He smothered the top of my head with kisses to make it feel better. “If I had known you were going to try to give yourself a concussion, I wouldn’t have tried to surprise you!” 

 

“But I like this surprise,” I softly said realizing that the other passengers were staring at us as they made their way to their seats. In the interest of decorum, we stopped ourselves from becoming a PSA for inappropriate PDA. No one needed to see us maul each other within the first 5 minutes of a nearly six hour flight. “So... How did you know I would be on this flight? I didn’t even tell you where I was going, just that I was going on a business trip.”

 

“To be honest, I didn’t. I’m on a business trip too.”

 

“Business? Like a show? PR thing?” I asked.

 

“They asked me to co-host  _ MIke and Allie _ again.”

 

“That’s awesome Babe!”

 

“So what are you working on out there?”

 

“Me? Well next week, one of those morning talk shows will be taping at our newest Resort property. Someone has to coordinate all the operations so our Guests are completely inconvenienced.”

 

“Wait. We’re going to be working on the same thing?” 

 

I laughed and nodded. “Sort of. You’re going to be doing whatever it is you’re going to do for the show, and I’ll be on the other side making sure you can all have transportation wherever you need to go, you can get to your stand up locations, you can get to the stage, working with our Tech peeps, partnering with the Media Team with last minute changes, and lastly, sharing my knowledge with our Operations partners.”

 

“That’s quite a list.”

 

“There will definitely be some long days ahead.”  _ That was an understatement. _

 

By the time we landed, it was dark. A delicious breeze enveloped us. It smelled like flowers, and coconut, and rain all at the same time. It was warm and it hugged my skin with moisture. We got on the Wiki-Wiki to get to the main terminal. I noticed a familiar face walking up to the entrance as we got off the shuttle. “Oh thank god Holly! I was so worried I was gonna be lohi. Traffic on the highway was no maika’i!” 

 

“DAVIN?!” I threw my arms around my former co-worker and squeezed. “What are you doing here?!?!?!”

 

“I still work for the company, in transportation. Oh wait, before I poina.” He stepped back and presented me with a lei. I bowed my head a little so he could put it on. “I saw when you were scheduled to come in, so I offered to pick you up.”

 

“Mahalo Davin really!  That was very sweet of you!”

 

“I’m sorry though, I didn’t realize you weren’t alone. I didn’t bring another lei with me. I can go get one though.” And without another word Davin ran to a nearby kiosk.

 

As soon as he returned, I took Joe by the hand. Davin placed a lei around Joe’s neck too. “Joe, this is Davin. We used to work together. Davin, this is my boyfriend Joe.”  _ It was still weird saying that out loud.  _

 

Davin raised an eyebrow, “Whaaaaaat?! My how things have changed.. You finally made time for aloha. ” I playfully slapped him before he took off to grab our luggage.

 

“I didn’t know you spoke Hawaiian.” Joe stated to me.

 

“It’s not like I’m fluent or anything. I just pick up context.” He slapped my backside as we went to show Davin which bags were ours.

 

“Tanya is already gone for the day so we’re going to have to wait until tomorrow to get you into your condo.  Tonight, you’ll be staying on property. We’ve got a room booked for you.” Davin announced as we got to the car.

 

“Oh!" I said slightly surprised. I looked at Joe.

 

"That, my friend, won’t do.”    
  


Davin was startled by the comment. A look of panic filled his cherubic face. “K [ ala mai iaʻu ](http://www.trussel2.com/haw/haw-k.htm#kalamaiia%CA%BBu) .”

 

“Davin, don’t be sorry.  What Joe is trying to say..”

 

“I’m sorry.  I just mean it’s ok. We don’t need two rooms. Holly can stay with me tonight.”

 

“Right. And we can figure out the condo tomorrow.” Davin stuffed our bags in the trunk before opening the door for us.

 

Half an hour later, we pulled up the steep driveway of the hotel. “Aloha ahiahi - good evening and welcome to Aulani Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael. My name is Ka’ike’apona, which means ‘the embracing of knowledge’.” We were greeted at the door by a traditionally dressed woman. She gifted us with another set of leis. “Please follow me and we’ll get you settled in. Davin will make sure your bags get to your room.”

 

I grabbed Joe by the hand and slowed down our gait behind the hostess. “Are you always going to have reservations made under Mr and Mrs. Carmichael?”

 

He laughed. “It still works better than using my name. I mean, at least for now. Once people figure it out, we’ll have to change it.” 

 

Ka’Ike - as our guide preferred to be called. - walked us around the property and pointed out some of the highlights while telling us about the culture and history of Hawai’i. She spoke in a mix of English and native language. Her words we beautiful, but dizzying.  _ I definitely need an English-to-Hawaiian dictionary if I was going to converse with the Cast here.  _

 

Our tour started in the Maka’ala - which she explained meant ‘to be wide awake’. Every door in the lobby was open - allowing the tropic breezes to fill the space. We stepped out onto a large balcony which overlooked the Waikolohe Valley. A huge volcano-looking structure rose from the center. A lazy river wound through the valley to the rockwork known as Pu’u Kilo. We made our way around the valley until she stopped at the most breath-taking view I had ever seen. She called it ‘Alohi Point. It was an infinity jacuzzi. The far edge looked like it just dropped off into the ocean where a bright moon hung in the sky like a silvery-white balloon. We continued around the snorkeling reef and conservation pool to the Wai’anae Tower. She held the door and directed us to the elevator.

 

We stopped on the 10th floor and stopped in front of the door to our room. She produced two keys and handed one over to me. She slid the other in the lock and opened the door. “Here we are... the Lei Hulu Suite.” We walked through the hallway that opened into a great room with a dining room table and kitchen to the right and a living room to the left.  The wall of sliding doors were wide open - proudly framing the ocean view. I was drawn out to the lanai. “Sleep well. A hui hou.” She said before she turned around and left.

 

Joe stood behind me with his arms locking me between him and the railing. “So... room service... or something else?” He practically purred in my ear. Shivers ran through me with a giggle. His lips brushed against my jaw.

 

I turned to face him. “That would depend on what you mean by ‘something else’?” I toyed back with a raise of my eyebrows. My index fingers hooked onto the belt loops on the front of his pants while my other fingers playfully scratched at his stomach.

 

He squeezed his eyes tightly and licked his lips. A soft low groan rumbled in his throat. “It has been,” he paused as my scratching slid lower to toward his hip bones, “a long time - I mean MONTHS since I’ve seen you! And well... it isn’t THAT late - it’s what? Midnight in LA?” Still attached to his belt loops, I stretched my fingers even lower - my nails tracing the stitching around his zipper. THAT was his undoing. His pants started to tent. He swatted my hands away and drew me against his stiffening form. His lips scurried over my neck and crashed into my mouth. His hand clasped my thighs and slung them around his waist. His tongue plunged into my mouth. There was a hunger I had never experienced in each jab. 

 

He stumbled to the other end of the balcony to the open sliding doors of the bedroom. Every synapse in my brain fired on all cylinders. He literally threw me on the bed. His hands fumbled with my belt as my nimble fingers had his belt unbuckled, pants unfastened, and on the floor in seconds. He stopped to pull his shirt over his head while I pushed and kicked my pants off. It was a melee of flying fabrics until he stopped, if for only a breath. He looked down at me extended across the bed. He leaned forward, composed. His hand swept from cheek downward. I moved with him up the length of the bed. My knees pulled up as he maneuvered himself between them. We both cried out as he drove in. Nope. This was not the smoldering, tender lovemaking as in our last encounter together. This was hot, sweaty animal sex - and it was loud. We flipped and rolled and pitched and told the world EXACTLY what was happening in the room. At one point,  while struggling for leverage, my palm slapped against the headboard - leaving a sweaty palm print on the rich, dark wood. And after basking in the afterglow all we could do was examine the marks we left on each other. Eight bright red lines traced the span of his back. A pink welt stung the cheek of my ass. We took turns paying penance - dappling the battle scars with tender kisses.

 

“Ok. Now I AM STARVING!” Joe declared

 

“Maybe we should have ordered room service first.” We both laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Nothin' Like You" by Dan + Sahy; 2014. Written by Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Chris DeStefano and Ashley Gorley.


	10. You Set Me Free

_ Can't you see? _

_ There's a feeling that's come over me _

_ Close my eyes _

_ You're the only one that leaves me completely breathless _

 

_ No need to wonder why _

_ Sometimes a gift like this you can't deny _

 

_ 'Cause I wanted to fly, _

_ so you gave me your wings _

_ And time held its breath so I could see, yeah _

_ And you set me free _

 

My body said it was time to get up; the clock said it was 4:00 a.m. I laid in bed and watched the blades of the ceiling fan turn.  _ Do I get up? Do I lay here? Do I try to go back to sleep? _ The room was dark. I could hear the gentle lapping of the waves through the pulled drapes. Joe rolled over in his sleep and snuggled into my side.  _ I guess I’m not going anywhere. _

 

I stared at the top of his head. I brushed his hair off his face. He looked so peaceful. If I could, I would have stayed there forever, but I was getting restless. There was so much I needed to do to be prepared for the weeks ahead. I kissed the top of his head before surrendering to the controlling side of my brain. 

 

I set my laptop up on the dining room table and began the process of connecting to servers on the other side of the ocean. My email was overflowing with documents and reminders. I jotted down notes and names of people I would need to seek out. My list grew with every message I opened.  An overwhelming sense of action started taking over. Apparently my lists of tasks to do included setting up base camp for everyone coming to assist.  I closed my computer and sprang into action.

 

I showered and changed into a work-appropriate casual outfit - khaki shorts and a polo shirt. I pulled my hair into a ponytail. I looked at Joe’s sleeping form. I crawled back up to him in bed. “Baby,” I whispered. His eyes opened. I pressed my finger into his lips. “I’ve got to get some work stuff done.” He nodded, kissed my finger, and closed his eyes. 

 

I gathered everything I would need - cell phones and laptop. I shoved my wallet, room key, and IDs into my bag before heading down to the lobby.  _ Maka’ala.  _ I reminded myself. I stopped at Guest Services and introduced myself to the Cast Member behind the desk. After chatting for a few minutes, she escorted me to the Kaiona Ballroom.

 

I pulled the heavy, dark wood door open. The IT guy was busily setting up a dozen computers and multiple printers on one side of the room. Long tables lined the walls and round tables dotted the floor. In the center of the room was sat a cluster of tables making a square. Luggage carts of boxes waited to be unloaded. I set my bag down in a chair and walked over to row of carts. I started with the boxes and moved them around the room according to the labels on the side.

 

My phone startled me when it started ringing. "Aloha Al. How'z it?"

 

"I see you're adopting the local language already, good." I laughed. “Hey, so I know we’ve tasked you with a lot of work... so we’ve requested an assistant for you.”  Just as the words came out of his mouth, the ballroom door opened.

 

“ALOHA HOLLY!!!”  A very excited Davin entered.

 

“I think he just walked in,” I told him. “Thank you Al. We won’t let you down.”

 

“I know you won’t. I’ll see you on Sunday. Don’t make me wait at the airport too long.”

 

“I won’t.  Have a great day!  Mahalo!”  I hung up the phone and turned to Davin. “Alright friend, we have soooo much to do!”  I quickly explained what needed to be done.  Hours passed as we set up what would be known as the War Room for the next 3 weeks. Finally after the last box was emptied, we finally sat down. 

 

_ What’cha dooooin’?  _  A text message read.

 

With a smile, I responded  _ Ooooohhhhhhh. You know. Laying out on the beach with fruity beverage. You? _

 

_ Just trying to figure out what to do for lunch. Have any suggestions? _

 

I looked across the table. “Davin, where would you go for lunch?”

 

“Do you want to eat here or somewhere else?” He answered with a question. I twisted my mouth around and mashed the buttons on the keyboard. “Can I ask you something, Holly?” I leaned a little closer to him with a nod. “What’s it like?”

 

“What’s what like?”

 

“Dating a celebrity?”

 

“It’s uh... mostly the same as dating anyone else. I mean we do the same things you and Sherri do - go to dinner, snuggle on the couch with a really bad movie, walk red carpets... you know the usual.”

 

“Yeah, we go to so many red carpet events.” Davin laughed. “Isn’t it weird though with the paparazzi and stuff?”

 

“Honestly? I try not to pay attention to them. I know that sounds bad - but we don’t let them stop us. Granted, we don’t go out of our way to attract attention by hitting the hottest clubs every night half dressed and hanging all over each other. But we also don’t sit in the dark at home.”

 

“Downside?”

 

“Time. We don’t get to spend all that much time together. Yesterday was the first time we saw each other since October.”

 

“You haven’t seen each other in four months?!” I shrugged. He shook his head. “I just don’t get it Holly. I remember when I was still on the Mainland and we would talk about how you and Matt never spent time together.”

 

“The difference is when Joe and I have time to spend together, we spend every moment we can. Matt and I always had the time, he just never made the effort.” My phone buzzed.  _ Somewhere else? _ Joe replied. Just as I told Davin the answer we were waiting for, my phone started to chime with the number of emails hitting my inbox. “Shit.” I sighed.

 

Davin laughed. “How about I go grab lunch for you guys so you can take care of that? Tell Joe to meet you in here in 30 minutes.”

 

“Ok. Thank you Davin.” He started to walk away. “Wait!” I grabbed a set of keys from the bowl of rental car keys and fished my corporate card from my back pocket. “Here, take these.” I texted Joe where and when to find me before I opened my laptop to deal with the emails.

 

I was drowning in sea of changes. I flipped back and forth between Excel files, calendars, and emails. I was carefully triple checking flight arrivals and transportation needs when Joe and Davin walked in together. I didn’t even look up as they chatted back and forth. A styrofoam box was placed on the table beside me. A pair of chopsticks stuck out of a mound of steamed rice. I took a bite of kalua pork between keystrokes. The printer hummed and spit out my multi page file. I chewed another bite as I walked to grab the print out.

 

“Holly, what time do you think -” Joe started to ask a question.

 

“Nah man, I don’t suggest you finish that question,” Davin intervened. I looked at the two of them and smiled for a second. I adjusted my glasses and sat back down. “She will be finished when she is finished. If you value your ears, because she will yell at you to ‘leave me alone’ and ‘get out’, I would just let her work for a little while. But you may have to come get her for dinner though.”

 

Joe scratched his head as he looked over at me hunkered down over my computer. “She is really focused isn’t she?”

 

“Yeah. That’s Holly though. In the three years I have known her, she has always been strictly business in the planning phase. But when it comes to the event itself, she understands that it is what it is. She’ll have 10 plans for how it will all play out, but she knows none of them may work when it comes down to it. It’s really something to see. The shit could be hitting the fan, but she is calm. She knows exactly what is going on at all times.” Joe mulled over Davin’s words for a moment. “Have you never seen her work before?”

 

“No. Yeah. I mean of course I’ve seen her work.  Not  on this side of it - only the day of stuff. But even that has been different. Or at least that’s what she’s told me. The stuff I’ve been with her, she said isn’t usually like that.” Now it was Davin’s turn to look puzzled. Joe rehashed our trip to Florida.

 

“You want to keep it down over there?  Some of us are trying to work.” I yelled over my shoulder.

 

Davin jumped first.  “Ok Holly. I am going to check in with the techs and see where they are in the stage construction and check with Bill on the lighting and possible pyro tests like you asked.”

 

“Thank you Davin.  We’ll need to find the nearest Kinko’s soon. We’re going to need some serious printing before next week.” He quickly left.

 

Joe stood there and watched me while he debated if and what to say. Having updated the transportation grid, I moved on to the next project of mapping out the shot list. I bounced back and forth between timelines, Publisher, and emails. “Is there anything I can do to help you?” He sheepishly asked.

 

My head dropped. I quickly got up from my chair. “I’m sorry Honey. I’ve got so much to do. Thank you but no.” I wrapped him up in a hug and dotted his cheek with kisses. “Gimme your phone, please.” He dug in his pocket and produced the tech. My fingers flitted over the screen to set a timer. “When this goes off, I will be all yours for the remainder of the day to do whatever you would like to do.” I grabbed my phone and set its timer too. “So for the next two hours no texts, no pictures of the gorgeous beach, no gifs, no memes. Then I will go upstairs, freshen up a bit, and wait for you to come claim me.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “Joe, I cannot promise I will have much time the rest of this week - and I can guarantee there will be no such thing as free time next week. Take it, or leave it.” I held a phone in each hand with my thumbs ready to start the timers, and waited for some sort of response.

 

He weighed the information I had given him. “So in two hours we can do ANYTHING I want to do?”

 

“Yes. Anything.” 

 

A gleam of an idea surfaced and and quickly vanished. “Ok, but don’t start the timer yet.” He stated before he edged his way between my arms. He enveloped me - arms circled tightly around my body. His mouth covered mine. His lips gently coaxed mine open. His tongue passed over mine for a fraction of a touch then quickly retreated. I stepped back as he grabbed his phone from my hand. Joe practically ran back to the door and heaved it open. “GO!” He yelled before the outside light vanished from the room.

 

I pushed start and sat back down to work. At some point Davin came back in to update me on the stage, lighting, and pyro test. He sat down at the table next to me and began drafting an email with the information to send to the masses on my behalf. Time was ticking down. He shuffled papers, straightened binders, and cross-checked the arrival schedule. 

 

With minutes to spare, I packed up my laptop and started to head out. “Hey Holly!” Davin called me back. “I forgot! I met up with Tanya. Here are the keys to your condo and a map to get there. It’s just across the street at Coconut Plantation. I can have your bags taken over there, if you’d like?” He shoved keys in my hand and the map. 

 

“Um... Can I get back to you on that?”

 

“Yeah sure!  Just let me know. Now go!  Have fun on your night off.”

 

I pulled my nametag from my chest and slipped my ID into my bag and walked as quickly as I could through the lobby to the elevator. Joe wasn’t in the room when I entered. I went into the bedroom and stared into my suitcase.  _ What should I wear? I have no idea what we’re doing. At least I know it isn’t going to get THAT cold. _ It was still 80 degrees out, but not knowing what we would be doing, I threw on a pair of jeans and a black tank top. I quickly touched up my hair and makeup.

 

My phone started buzzing.  _ Meet me at the valet. _ I slipped on my shoes, tied a light sweater around my waist, and affixed my purse across my body. 

 

The Trade Winds ruffled the damp air as I stepped outside. My heart beat skipped as our eyes locked.  _ I will never get tired of that reaction. _ Joe leaned against a shiny red convertible parked in the middle of the porte de cochere. The sun glinted down on the spotless chrome accents. He grinned widely before he unfolded his arms from his chest and stepped toward me. I literally skipped to him. He reached for my hand and walked me over to the car. He reached for the passenger door and opened it. I got in and he closed the door. I grabbed his hand before he walked away. He leaned down and kissed me. 

 

We made our way to the highway to the other side of the island. He pulled off the main road to a dirt road. He stopped the car and hopped out before opening my door. We walked hand in hand through a grove of trees. Dirt turned to sand. When we stepped back into the sunlight, a horse stood tied to the last tree. I walked up to it and held my hand out for it to sniff. Joe laughed. “It’s not a dog Holly.” He walked up to the horse and patted it. He untied the reins and climbed up into the saddle. “Want to go on a ride?” I nodded. He reached down for me. I grabbed his hand. He easily pulled me up into the saddle in front of him.

 

Joe’s elbows hugged me as he flicked the thin leather straps. He clicked his tongue and gently dug his heels in. The horse slowly walked out from under the trees.  We slowly moved down the sand. I held onto the heel of the saddle for balance. My posture was rigid. Joe kissed the back of my shoulder. "Baby relax. Lean up against me." I followed his direction and slid back half an inch. I leaned into his strong chest. “That’s it. Just move with horse.”

 

My hands squeezed the tops of his thighs. “I’ve never actually been on a horse before.” I admitted.

 

“Whaaaat?”

 

“Nope. No horses. My mom had some childhood trauma involving a horse. I mean I’ve seen horses. I’ve pet them before - not until I was a teen-ager. Let’s just say I have a healthy fear of them.” I babbled.

 

“There’s no need to be afraid of them.”   
  


“Clearly it didn’t stop me from hopping into the saddle with you.” He laughed. I looked out over the ocean. Small waves lapped at the shore. I spotted a pod of dolphins playing in the distance. I pointed them out to Joe. He turned the horse toward the water and stopped. 

 

The sun was making its descent for the day. It gilded everything in a golden glow. After a few minutes of frolicking, the dolphins disappeared. Joe’s arms tensed as he swung the horse back around. We trotted along with packed sand near the water’s edge. “Are you ready for this?” Joe breathed into my ear. I nodded. He nudged me forward. “Hold on!” Our trot briefly turned to a cantor before we broke into a full-blown gallop. Surf and sand sprayed around us. Everything around us became a blur. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on what I could feel. The wind that rushed by us. The hoofbeats that pounded the shore. The cocoon of Joe’s body that surrounded me. The inside of his legs pressed against the outside of mine. His chest in my back. His shoulders and arms enveloped me as he controlled the enormously strong and fast creature between our thighs. I licked my lips and savored the taste of the salt spray.  _ Never forget this moment Holly.  _  I carefully shifted. I sat up a little straighter. I wiggled my arms out from under his and stretched them out. My hands tried to catch the air. He laughed.  _  I’m free. _

 

We returned to the spot on the beach where we found the horse. A blanket had been spread out and a basket sat closed waiting for us. “How much help did you have with all of this?” I asked.

 

“Just a little.” He smiled as he stretched out on the blanket.

 

I laid out the contents of the basket noting some of my favorite snack items. “Did Davin help you?”

 

“Maaaayyyybeeeee,” he replied. He playfully swatted my foot. I looked at him over my shoulder. “Come here.” He patted the spot next to him. “You aren’t gonna want to miss this.” I quickly poured two plastic glasses of wine from the bottle in the basket. I handed one to him before sidling up to him. We wordlessly watched the sun sink below the horizon. Golds, pinks, and purples painted the sky as the stars peeked out from their cloak of darkness. We snacked and sipped as we pointed out the constellations above us. “So, did you like your first horseback ride?”

 

“Mostly.” I replied.

 

“Why just mostly?” He was concerned.

 

I reached behind me and set my glass in the sand. I turned into him, “Because I couldn’t do this...” My fingers ran up his tee shirt until they found his face. I rubbed the growth along his jaw and pressed my lips to his. I inhaled deeply, taking in the mixture of him and the ocean. He tasted of wine and salt. He tossed his glass back as I shifted and forced him on his back. I nibbled at his lower lip then slid my tongue over it. His lips separated. The tip of his tongue poked out cautiously. I slowly teased it out further and brought it into my own mouth. His arms tightened around me and lifted me squarely on top of the length of his body. A groan rippled through him as felt his protuberance stir between us.

 

A smile tugged at my lips as he pulled back. “You think that’s funny?” He pushed his hips up at me. I nodded. My legs split, my knees came to rest on either side of his hips. I pressed slightly back into him. “Holly...” He warned. I giggled. He shoved me off him. I landed on my ass in the sand. My smile turned to a pout.  Joe carelessly started throwing everything in the basket. He wedged it under his arm and pulled me up with the other hand. “Get in the car.”

 

I took off in a sprint toward the convertible still parked in the dirt. I slid behind the wheel as he tossed the basket in the tiny back seat. I grabbed the map Davin had given me to the condo and shoved it at Joe. I navigated us to the tract labelled  _ Coconut Plantation _ . I fought to get the keys from my purse. Finally freed, I pointed the key fob at the gate and pressed the button.  The wood and iron gate slid open. I listened as he told me where to turn. We finally found my home away from home at the end of a street. We practically ran up the stairs to the unit on the second story. I fumbled with the keys in the door.

 

We both slipped our shoes off outside the entry. I grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him down a hallway where I assumed the bedroom was. We both stopped inside the room’s door. Large windows allowed the night’s air in. French doors stood open leading out onto a large patio.

 

Joe’s arms came around me from behind. He lifted the bottom edge of my tank top. His arms rubbed against my skin as his hands continued around the front of my jeans. He nuzzled the back of my neck. His tongue ran over the outside of my ear. “I want you so badly.” His breathy words were laden with desire. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him in the mirror hanging on the the wall. His eyelids were heavy. His lips were full. His fingers pawed at the apex of my thigh. I ran my hands over his arms, down to his hands. I intertwined our fingers and guided his hands up along my zipper then over to my to my pockets. I circled the same path a second time. This time I stopped at the waistband. I tucked his thumbs into the edge. His nails grazed under the top of my panties. I pushed back into him with a gasp. He took the opportunity to unfasten the button and slide the zipper down.

 

_ Woosh _ I stepped out of the puddle of denim surrounding my feet. His arms confined me to the contours of his upper body. His hands hugged the curve of my ass as he worked his way back to the front. My breathing became short and shallow as his fingers sensed the magnitude of my longing over the wet, thin sheath between him and my center. I felt the surge of excitement that traveled through him. I grabbed his hands and moved away. He took a seat on the edge of the bed as I took a few more steps. I turned toward him. 

 

Moonlight streamed in casting the only light in the room. He started at me intensely. My skin burned under his gaze. I stood with my back to the windows. I reached around and unhooked my bra and slid it off. I flattened my hands against my ribs. His eyes followed them down my sides. I slid them under the side of my panties at my hip. “Stop.” He demanded. I froze. He motioned me closer. I slinked toward him. His fingers toyed with the narrow bands at my sides. His lips lightly brushed the skin inches below the fabric on my left. I shuddered. He torturously peeled them back. His mouth claimed every inch revealed. I was ready to explode before he even reached my core. Once removed, he pushed me back. “I just want to look at you.” He breathed. He leaned back and propped himself up on an elbow. His free hand slid into his pants.

 

I was bare and bathed in a bluish-white glow. I shifted my weight to one foot, bumping my hip up on one side. I pressed my legs together. I pulled the elastic holding my hair back. The breeze tousled it as it fell to cover my shoulders. I taunted him. I sucked my finger into my mouth before drawing a line down to my breasts.  My fingers rolled over the hardened peaks of my nipples. My hands ambled down my sides. My eyes were locked on his the entire time. My tongue slid over my lips before my teeth sunk into the edge. “You are so fucking beautiful.” 

 

“What do you want?” My voice was soft and low. “Maybe this?” I grabbed my breasts and pushed them together. My nipples were displayed between my fingers. He moaned as he stroked himself. “Maybe this?” One hand fell between my thighs. I dropped my head back and exhaled a ragged breath.

 

When I looked at him again, he was standing naked before me. He cast my hands aside and lifted me off my feet. His strong hands raised me up. My nipple was immediately bathed by his tongue. I cried out softly as his teeth clamped down on it. Muffled sounds of pleasure emanated from both of us. My legs locked around his waist. He slowly turned for the bed. “I want to make you quiver.” He answered as he set me down in the middle of the mattress. My head hit the pillows. Joe was on his knees between my legs. He was staring again. I covered my face with my hands. He pulled them back. “No.”

 

He was gentle yet commanding. Every touch ignited something new within me. Every sound stirred the coals burning inside me. He was going to get his wish without even entering me. His mouth breathed across every inch of flesh. His hands caressed every muscle. I whimpered as his fingers reached for my folds. “Let go Holly.” He urged. He could feel the built up tension the second he slid one in. His tongue swirled over my swollen nub. One finger became two. “Give in.” He hit the spot that sent me reeling. The very depth of my soul quaked. My back arched. I started seeing spots. Everything tasted purple. 

 

Joe pulled me up into his lap. I rested my head on his shoulder and gasped for air. His arms held me to his chest until the waves subsided. He rubbed my back, sending shivers down my spine. When everything was finally still - spots gone, normal rhythmic breathing returned, purple flavor dissipated - I realized the precarious placement of his tip. I pulled back and looked him in the eye. I folded my legs under me as a leaned in to kiss him. I tipped him back and repositioned my hips. His cock pierced me as his head hit the bed. I wanted to return the favor he had just afforded me. His fingers tangled in my hair. My hands pressed against his chest. 

 

The floodgate, however had been opened. Where there was one, a second was closely cresting. His hand grabbed the side of my neck, this thumb wavered over my cheek. “That’s it Baby. Give it to me.” His hips moved with mine. He thrusted deeper. His fingers dug into the flesh of my hips. He pushed me faster. “Take me with you.” He begged. It was a matter of minutes before we both were hitting the height of ecstasy. I collapsed on top of him. My fingers wrapped themselves in his hair. I closed his eyes and let the rhythm of his heart lull me to sleep.

  
  


The sounds of the night turned into sounds of the morning. I opened my eyes to a bird loudly heralding the dawn. Somehow, I was still perched on Joe’s chest. I rolled out of bed and got to my feet. I found my phone in my purse in the hallway. I had 112 new emails, 8 missed calls, and 4 voice mails. “Shit.” I started listening to my messages. “Shit shit shit!” I ran back into the bedroom. “Honeyyy.” Nothing. I got closer to him. “Babe.”  Not a stir. “JOE!” 

 

“What? What? I’m awake!” He sat up in bed. I was already scrambling for clothes.

 

“We need to go.”

 

“Huh?” He blankly stared at me as I threw his clothes at him.

 

“Baby come on! I need you to get up... now!” He slowly slid to the edge of the bed and put his boxers back on. I got in his face. “I have a meeting in 45 minutes with All the department heads of the Resort! Get your clothes on and get in the car.”

 

“OH!” That lit the fire. He quickly dressed and ran out the front door. I was right behind him.

 

I drove like a madwoman to the Resort, threw the car in park, and tossed the keys to the Valet. I ran through the empty lobby to the elevator. I must have pressed the button a dozen times before the doors opened. I impatiently tapped my foot as we ascended to our floor. Joe held the room key in his hand. He opened the door at got out of my way. 

 

I threw my clothes off and was peeling out of the last garment as I turned on the shower. The water was lukewarm when I hopped in. Time was not a luxury I had at the moment. I was out and in a towel in mere minutes. I hustled to pick something professional from the garment bag hanging in the closet. Once dressed in a classic cut-to-the-knee red Calvin Klein belted dress, I dashed back to the bathroom for hair and makeup. "How do I look?" I asked Joe as I finished shoving my feet onto a pair of pumps. There was no response. He was already in bed and fast asleep.  _ Oh how I want to get in there with you. _ I leaned over him and kissed the spot between his jaw and his ear. “I love you,” I whispered in his ear.

 

“Have a good day my Love,” he mumbled back.

 

Davin stood outside the elevator as I reached the lobby. “Aloha Holly. Here are your notes, the blueprints, and deck.” He handed me a binder.

 

“Mahalo, Dav. And might I say, you look very nice today.” I couldn’t recall when I’d ever seen Davin in a suit and tie.

 

He handed over a cup of coffee. “I hear you had a late night, or maybe it was an early morning.”

 

I stopped in my tracks. “It looked that bad, huh?” He laughed. I lowered my head. “I can honestly say, it’s not quite what it appeared. We ended up at the condo and fell asleep. Of course, when I woke up and got your messages I remembered all my stuff was here.”

 

“Well, it’s no matter - and none of anyone else’s business.” I squeezed his arm and we started walking again. He quickly downloaded me on the meeting we were walking to. He named all the players and their positions. We reached the Waikolohe Valley a few minutes early, so we grabbed a seat outside Off the Hook to review.

 

"Al told me he was sending the best, but I didn't think he could afford to send you!" The brash Brooklyn-born tone let me know it could only be one man behind me.

 

"Good morning Bill! Or is it good night?" I stood up and hugged the aging tech genius. "How'd the lighting test go last night? Are we gonna get to pyro testing tonight?" 

 

"Aw fuck Holly. My guys have been at it since 4 yesterday on the lighting. The stage is almost done. We're hoping to get to pyro tonight, but it's not looking good right now. I'll keep you updated."

 

"Thank you, Bill." More meeting participants started to arrive. Davin introduced me to each person. The better part of the morning was spent walking through all the plans. Every map, timeline, and impact was combed over as we surveyed each location.

 

"So Holly, you're basically telling me our hotel guests are going to be greatly inconvenienced by all of this,” the Resort Vice President, Elliot, spoke up.

 

“I’m not going to lie, there will be some inconvenience. We are doing everything we can not to impact daytime activities. We are keeping the bulk of the build to later hours - though there will be some nighttime light pollution. Our plans only permit pyro testing between the hours of 20:30 and 22:30. As we move into next week for the actual tapings,  because we are shooting for a live East Coast feed -  our greatest hours of impact will be from 0300 - 0530 for much of the week. However, we will be filming segments throughout the week. The timeline is listed in your binders. Please note that these will be small crew with a handheld camera to reduce our footprint. Also listed in the timeline is the adjusted hours of operation for Rainbow Reef and the Makai Preserve. When we get further into the week - specifically the last day of the shoot, we will be utilizing the Makaloa Garden in the evening. The Starlit ‘Hui has been moved to the beach stage built for the our show for that day only.”

 

Elliot as well as all of the others flipped through the pages of the timeline. “What can we do to help you make this happen?”

 

That took me by surprise. “Well Elliot, Davin will be partnering with Scheduling to ensure we have plenty of staffing to help Guests where they need to go. On Sunday, we will have Cast Information booklets available at the Locomaka’i, costuming, and the clocking locations. It will list the new location hours as well as an F.A.Q. for what they can tell Resorts Guests.”

 

“Sounds good. Holly, Bill, Davin - mahalo for being so flexible with this meeting. Please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with.” Elliot spoke.

 

I reached out to shake his hand. “Mahalo for taking the time to meet with us. We’ll be in touch.”

 

Elliot went to shake Davin’s hand. “This looks good on you,” noting the suit he wore. Our meeting concluded.

 

“Hey Holly, I’ll have M.J. meet you in the War Room this afternoon when the crew comes on. He’ll be able to give you a full run-down of when we will be able to run lighting tonight.” Bill hollered as he walked away.

 

“10-4 Bill. WAIT!  You brought M.J. over?”

 

“Your team wasn’t the only one who sent their all-stars!” A belly laugh followed.

 

Davin and I went back to the War Room to sum up the meeting and send it out to the rest of the team. We walked in to find eight racks of garment bags in split in two rows. “What the hell?”  _ Mike and Allie 2/14 _ was scrawled in Sharpie on a sheet of paper hung on each rack. I looked at the tag on the zipper of the bag  _ AA DP - A201 _ The next bag  _ AA DP - A210 _ . I counted quickly 44 bags of varying thickness. I felt the bags. “It can’t be,” I exhaled.

 

“What? What is it?” Davin asked.

 

I turned one bag on the rack and tugged the zipper. Davin helped me remove the cover. A cloud of white tulle spilled out. Crystal beading shimmered under the lighting. I let go of it as if it was burning my hands. I turned to Davin, “Oh my god. I am so stupid!”

 

“What? Why?” He looked at the dress, then back at me, then back at the dress, then back at me. “Holly, I need a little help here.”

 

I went back through all of my notes looking for anything to substantiate the idea in my head. “Davin, how many times have we updated the calendar? Or typed a date for this thing?”

 

He stared at me dumbfounded. “Apparently my mind reading skills are fuzzy.”

 

“It’s February.”

 

He ran his finger through his hair. “Holly. I need a translator here. I don’t speak girl!”

 

“Next week is Valentine’s Day... They’re having a wedding.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "You Set Me Free" performed by Michelle Branch; 2001. Written by Michelle Branch and John Shanks.


	11. To Make You Feel My Love

_ The storms are raging _

_ On the rolling sea _

_ And on the highway of regret _

_ The winds of change _

_ Are blowing wild and free _

_ You ain't seen nothing _

_ Like me yet _

  
  


Days disappeared in a blink. Production crews had already started to arrive. The stage was done. Lighting finished. Pyro tests complete. Rehearsals with some of the local talent had already started. 

 

I stood in the suite packing up my stuff. “Where are you going?” Joe asked. I turned to look at him - freshly showered and wrapped in a towel.

 

“Things are about to get crazy - schedule-wise for me. So I figured it would be best for me to go to the condo.” I answered.

 

He stared at me. “You cannot be serious.”

 

“I am.” 

 

He crossed the room and threw on a pair of shorts with a huff. “No. No way. You are staying here with me.”

 

“Joe, listen. This isn’t up for discussion. I am going to be working at all hours of the day and night. I don't want to wake you up with my comings and goings. I don't know what your schedule is going to look be like."

 

From the other side, he started taking my clothes out of my suitcase. "NO! You're right. This isn't up for discussion. You aren't leaving me."

 

My eyes locked on his. "I'm not leaving you. I'm just moving across the street to the condo my company is paying for until next week."

 

"I don't want you to go."

 

"Neither do I."

 

“Then don’t.”

 

“It’s not that simple.” I yelled. “Honey look, this is not about us. This is about me having a job to do. A job that is going to consume me for the next 8 days. I need to do this - I don’t want to, but I need to. It’s not like we won’t see each other, admittedly it may be from the other side of the Valley, or quick glimpses between shots, but we’ll both be there.”

 

“I don’t like it.”

 

“Neither do I, but this is the biggest event in my career. I need to do this. Please understand.” He defeatedly sighed and handed me the shirt in his hand. I dropped it in the pile of clothes in my suitcase. I reached for his shoulder and pulled him into my arms. “I love you, Joe. Nothing is going to change that.” I kissed his cheek.

 

His arms rested on my shoulders. He pressed his forehead to mine. “I love you too. So I guess I have no choice but to let this happen.”

 

“It’s funny you think you get a choice.” I turned out of his arms. I looked at my suitcase. I”ll come back for this later.”

 

A blast of cold air came at me as I walked into the War Room. I sat down and put my head in my hands. I heard the door open behind me. I ran my hands through my hair. “Holly, Holly, Holly... we just got started; you cannot be that tired already!”

 

I laughed lightly. “It’s not that M.J.”

 

“Oh?” The big, burly entertainment tech squeezed my shoulders. I looked at him. “OH! Who do I have to hurt?”

 

“It’s just a misunderstanding. It will all get worked out.”

 

“Wait, we are talking about a guy and not work, right?” He sat down beside me.

 

“You are correct, Sir.”

 

“Again I ask, ‘Who do I have to hurt?’”

 

I patted his knee. “Thanks Michael.”

 

“Any time Hols... but now to discuss the things I came in here for.” He quickly ran down the day’s plan so I could send out the updates. “Oh and lastly, you should know that Matt will be here tomorrow. He’s working with an outside production company.” My eyes widened at the news. “Holly, now don’t worry. No one, and I mean NO ONE is going to let him near you.”

 

“Who knows?”

 

“It’s need to know.”

 

“Damn it M.J. Who knows?” I asked a second time through clenched teeth.

 

“That doesn’t matter, all you need to know is that we’ll take care of him if we need to. And really, you should be asking who doesn’t know - which would be just about anyone you wouldn’t want to know.”

 

“Great... This day just can’t get any better can it?  Fight with the man. More work than I know what to do with. And now you had a heaping dose of crazy on top. Sweet.”

 

“I don’t want to tell you what to do Holly, but you may want to consider telling the bf about him - assuming you haven’t already.”

 

“No, I haven’t told him anything about Matt.” 

 

“Ok. I’ll leave you to wrestle with your internal struggle.” He pat my knee, “See you down by the stage at 6.”  I had much to think about. I chewed the inside of my lip.  If I tell him, he will freak. He will absolutely lose his shit. I can’t. I cannot tell him. I have to do my job. I spent far too long letting Matt control me. He is not going to control me now. I am not going to live in fear. I am not going to let Joe be afraid for me. M.J. and the guys in black have my back. They will be watching me like a hawk. Everything is going to be fine.

 

Halfway through the day, I went back upstairs. Joe was nowhere to be found. I took all non-work-related items out of the suitcase and put them away properly. All professional attire was neatly folded and tucked in. I found a piece of paper and penned a note:

 

_ My Dear Sweet Man, _

 

_ I’m sorry for my behavior this morning. I’m not proud of the way I stormed out. I’m not accustomed to someone else having an opinion or getting a say in my day to day routine. I meant no disrespect. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. How about I make it up to you? When the show is over. Just you and me and the island. _

 

_ I love you, Joseph. _

 

_ -H _

 

I left a lipstick print on the page before I propped it on his pillow.

 

Everything was a blur of airport runs, meetings, and rehearsals. I hadn’t slept more than a few hours at a time. Early mornings, late nights, and always something in the middle of the day. Davin and I did the best we could to split things up between us. I had been taking the early morning airport runs and the late night rehearsals. Davin took the afternoon and late night pick-ups. But today, we were switching it up a bit so he could have date night with his lady.

 

I had to admit it was nice to sleep in - if you could call 7:30 sleeping in. I grabbed my phone from the side of the bed.  _ Have lunch with me today? _  I texted Joe. We hadn’t seen each other since the morning we’d fought. He’d been busy with rehearsals for the show.

 

_ I would love that. He responded a few minutes later. _

 

_ Your place, or mine? ;)  _

 

_ Mine... _

 

I hopped out of bed with a plan in mind.  I packed the few things I would need for work, ran to the local Target to pick up a few things as well as lunch from Aloha Salads, and prepared for the afternoon. I found a covered two-seat lounger on the far side of the beach and set up our lunch. I texted directions to find me. All that was left was to sit back and enjoy the sun. A shadow cast over my legs. I saw pair of black shorts out of the corner of my eye. When I moved my gossip magazine, they were gone. I leaned out from the canopy of the lounger. Not a soul was near me. Odd.

 

My phone buzzed.  _ How are things going in Hawaii? I'm sure you're busy. I miss your face!   _ Roxy texted.

 

I called her back. "I miss your face too!" I announced as soon as she answered.

 

"Soooooo... How is it?" She replied.

 

"Gorgeous. Crazy.”

 

“I bet! How’s Joe doing?”

 

“He’s good... He’s been busy with rehearsals.”

 

“Have you guys gotten to spend any time together?”

 

“A little - here and there.” I sighed.

 

“Alright. What’s going on Schmoops?”

 

“I’m not sure yet. But I was talking to MJ the other day and he told me that Matt is supposed to be here.”

 

“What do you mean he’s supposed to be there?”

 

“Apparently he’s working with another production company.”

 

“Oh shit. What are you going to do? Have you seen him?”

 

“No. I haven’t.” I recounted my conversation with MJ to her.

 

“Well at least someone is watching out for you. What did Joe say?”

 

“I...uh... I haven’t...”

 

“YOU HAVEN’T TOLD HIM?!?!?” She yelled. “Holly! Your super creepy, total stalker, abusive, cheating bastard of an ex is ON PROPERTY! You have to tell him.”

 

“And just what am I going to say, ‘Hey Sweetie, I know you’re super swamped with the show and all - but’ everything you just said?!”

 

She sighed. “You have a point, but you have to find a way to tell him something.”

 

“One weird thing did happen though,” I told her about the shadow incident a few minutes before I called. 

 

“Ok. That is weird. Maybe that’s your lead in. Tell him about that and explain why that’s so weird.”

 

“It still sounds crazy.”

 

“Just promise me you will tell him.”

 

“I promise.” I looked up and saw Joe wave at me. I waved back. “I gotta go Roxy. I’ll talk to you soon.”

 

“HOLLY!” Joe hollered as he ran over. I dropped my phone and sat up on my knees at the end of the chair. He dropped a kiss on my lips. “Don’t you look vacationy.” He smiled as he eyed the bare skin and brightly colored bikini on display. 

 

“I had a few hours of prime sun time. I can’t possibly go back home paler than when I left!” I defended.

 

“No, we definitely couldn’t have that!” He laughed. He kissed me again. “Ooh, what’d you get me for lunch?”

 

I leaned back on my elbows, “You mean other than this?” I teased.

 

His hands slid up the side of my calf. “I do love this,” he smiled with raise of his eyebrow. I pulled a tray out from the canopy’s shade. “I love this too!” He grabbed a salad from the tray and started eating.

 

“How much time do you have?” I asked between bites of my own salad.

 

“I’m free until 2, how about you?”

 

“I don’t have to be anywhere until 4.” 

 

He set his plate down. “Really?” His face was full of surprise.

 

“Yes. Really.” I flatly replied. In a blur, salads went flying and I was taken from my seat. He took off running for the water. I squealed and giggled as he splashed into the clear water.  I wailed as he lifted me up and tossed me out beyond the sand bar. He swam beside me and grabbed my ankle. I kicked him away only to jump on his back. I giggled and squealed as he tried to unhinge me. He finally managed to swing me around. I clung to his chest as he propelled us to shallower water. With his feet planted into the sand, he looked up at me.

 

The sun sparkled off the sea. My legs squeezed his around his waist as he reached up to smooth back his hair. He leaned back just a little and eyed me up and down. The right corner of his mouth turned up. “God I’ve missed you.” His hands slid under the water and grabbed my ass.

 

I jumped in his arms. “I’ve missed you more.” My arms tightened around his neck. I planted a kiss on his lips. A hand held the back of my neck. He turned the playful smooch into a series of tempting nibbles. I felt water drops land on my shoulders and back. I looked around. We’re in a protective cove. There aren’t any real waves except on the shore. “What is that?” I asked as I looked to the sky. I drop landed in my eye. “Oh. Rain.” The words were out before I could stop them. Joe howled with laughter. “Yeah. I really just said that.” I shook my head.

 

The light drizzle quickly turned to heavy drops. I unwrapped my legs and we both swam for it. We ran from the water to the chairs. We scrambled to grab our stuff. A trail of sand and water followed us as we laughed all the way back to the suite.

 

Once inside, Joe made a beeline to the bathroom to wash off the little sand that still clung to the tops of his feet. I eased up behind him as he stood in the tub. I ran the tip of my tongue down the nape of his neck. He reached back with both hands and rested them on my lower back. He hummed approvingly. My hands snaked around to his chest. My palms flattened over his pecs. My cheek pressed against the back of his shoulder. We stood there. Neither of us moved. Neither said a word. The only sounds were the water that ran in the tub and our breathing.

 

Tell him Holly. You need to tell him. I could hear my best friend’s voice in my head. No, not now. It’s not the right time. I’ll tell him later. I sighed. 

 

Joe tried to move to look at me. I squeezed him tighter. “That was an awfully big sigh. You ok back there?” He asked with a tap of my backside.

 

“Yeah...” I answered with a pat on his chest.

 

Joe took my wrists in his hands and turned toward me. “That wasn’t very reassuring, Holly.” His forearms draped over my shoulders “What’s on your mind?”

 

Tell him. “I just want to stay like this for awhile. This is nice.” Coward.

 

“This is nice. And I would love to stay here with you for a very long time, but I have to get back to work and so do you.” My lower lip jutted out at him. “Awww.” His face came closer to mine. He sucked in my lip. I started to pull back. His teeth bit down and tugged for a moment before he released it. I came back at him and attacked his lips. After several kisses, he retreated. “I’m going to hate myself for saying this... but you’d better hop out. If you don’t, we’ll both be late.” I surrendered and sulked my way out of the shower. I wrapped myself in a towel and set off to find the bed. I just enough time to squeeze in a nap!

 

A few hours later, I stood at baggage claim and waited for my boss to arrive. Davin had made sure I had the appropriate leis with which to greet him. "Thank God you're here! That was the worst flight ever!" Al announced was he walked up to me. 

 

I slapped him as he tried to hug me. "Davin coached me. I have to do this first," I scolded. He was clearly taken aback, but not too ruffled as I showed the proper amount of respect with the presentation of leis. "Ok. Now you may tell me about your flight."

 

Al, a seasoned traveler, bitched about the turbulence and every annoying detail of his trip. Finally, once we got to the car he asked, "How is it going?" I gave him a concise rundown of everything happening at the resort - where we were and what was planned. He drilled me with questions. I answered each one. We were quiet for a moment. He fidgeted. “Holly, Bill called me yesterday. I know you are a professional, and nothing would prevent you from being the best you can be but...." Here we go.  I knew this was coming. If M.J. knew, so did Bill. "He is concerned, and frankly so am I."

 

"Yes, Al. Matt is here. I have not seen him. You can trust that I am not going to go looking for him."

 

"I know you aren't. I'm not worried about you seeking him out. But you and I both know he had a way of finding you. Has he made his presence known to you?"

 

"No." And that was the truth. I could not prove he was the shadow earlier in the day. Regardless of what I thought.

 

"I presume Joe has not been an issue."

 

"You are correct. He understands that I am here to do a job. He is just an added bonus."

 

"Glad to hear that."

 

"Al, you have no need to worry about Joe."

 

"Believe me, I know. I wouldn't have sent you if I thought he would be a problem for you. Matt on the other hand, complicates things."

 

"M.J. has assured me they will not let him get near me. I cannot - and I refuse to live in fear of him."

 

"I believe you. What does Joe know?”

 

“In regards to...”   
  


“In regards to Matt!”   
  


“Nothing. He knows nothing and that’s how I’d like to keep it.”   
  


“Holly, come on. You’re telling me you haven’t told him?”

 

“I haven’t. And I don’t know that I’m going to tell him. He’s not here to deal with my ex-boyfriend drama, Al. He is also here to do a job.”   
  


“Come on Holly. That boy loves you. I’ve seen it. Hell anyone who has seen a picture of the two of you can see it. He is crazy about you and will do anything for you. He has the ways and means to protect you. You have to let him know.”

 

“Yes, but his means will disrupt the job I am here to do. There is no way I can do what I need to with a protective detail following me.” He sighed in the passenger seat. “Look, I appreciate your concern and the moment I have ANY reason to suspect that Matt is here for any reason other than to do the job he was hired to do, I will let you, Joe, M.J., Bill, and the world know. I will sound the ‘Jamie Lee Curtis’ of screams. I will run. I will find Joe, or you, or Bubba - who I am certain is here lurking somewhere, or any other person I can trust.”

 

“Have you told Davin? Just so he too can keep an eye out.”

 

“No. Actually, I haven’t said anything to Davin. It never occurred to me.”

 

“Ok. I will make you a deal. As long as you tell Davin, I will keep everything status quo. We will go to the hotel. We will have some dinner. We will watch the pyro test. And we will take care of business as usual. But the second, I feel your safety is in danger, all bets are off. And I hope for your sake, you have already told your boyfriend. I love you like the little sister I never had, and aside from the job we have to do here, nothing is going to keep me from protecting you.”

 

I promised. We made it back to the hotel. We did all the things Al said we would. It was easy to feel secure when there were easily 20 pairs of eyes watching out. Though we all knew there would be no work-related reasons for Matt to be out and about at that time, they were still watching. 

 

It was late when I made it back to the condo. My cell beeped with umpteen unread messages. Some from Roxy, some my Mom, some from Joe, and one from Drew.  _ Tell him or I will. _  It threatened. I immediately called him back. “How dare you threaten to tell him.” I yelled.

 

“It’s not a threat Holly. It is a promise. Matt being there is nothing but trouble. Do you think it’s coincidence that he’s there? So help me God if something happens to you, I will hurt him. And I won’t be the first in line. There are others that will beat me to it. Rox told me you promised to tell Joe. You’d better.” I grabbed a beer from the fridge (one of the items I had picked up on my Target run earlier in the day) and stepped out onto the balcony as my friend ranted.

 

“Look Drew, I appreciate everyone’s concern over this but it is under control. I will tell Joe. Just not right now. It’s under control. And why is it that everyone is so concerned about me telling him in the first place?”

 

“Seriously Holly? Are you really asking why it is your bajillion dollar boyfriend should know?” He was curt in his tone.

 

“Yeah. I am. Matt is old news. He is my past. I understand that Joe has his past, just as I have mine. Neither of which should be a part of our present or our future.”

 

“You don’t think your safety is his concern? You don’t think Matt has any bearing on your safety? Come on Holly! We all covered for you. Sure he never left marks that couldn’t be explained, but you and I both know what he is capable of - and honestly, I don’t want to go back to that Holly. I told you Joe was good for you. I wasn’t kidding. He can protect you in ways none of us can. Sure we make jokes about your dad’s friends being able to filet a man six ways to Sunday - but hell, your dad doesn’t even know what he did to you. I’m sure your parents still adore Matt.”

 

“I don’t know about that. They kind of like Joe. He made some definite points with them when we were in New York.” I interrupted.

 

“That is not the point. Tell him. He will understand. He will want to keep you safe. Holly, for the first time in your life you have a man who truly loves you. Not only that, he understands that you are beloved. It may not be the millions of fans like he has - and may I tip my hat off to you for taking that in stride - but honestly, he knows just what it means to be in love and involved in the life of Holly Carmichael. There aren’t many men who could handle it.”

 

“Thanks I think,” I replied. “You’re going to have to explain that last bit to me later, but I get the point you are trying to make.” Drew and I talked a little longer before I said good night. I finished my beer and started to prepare for bed. But something was off. I couldn’t put my finger on it exactly. The toothpaste was on the wrong side of the sink. I checked the calendar, maybe the maid had been by. No, that was yesterday. 

 

I pushed it all aside and climbed into bed. I texted my good night to Joe and closed my eyes. With so much on my mind, it was easy to understand why I didn’t sleep well. I tossed and turned. At one point, I thought I rolled into something firm in the bed next to me. When I opened my eyes, there was nothing there. 

  
I awoke the next morning absolutely exhausted. I ambled to the bathroom to take a shower. That’s when I noticed... everything on the shelf was in alphabetical order. I stared at the bottles.  _ There’s no way. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t get in here.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "To Make You Fell My Love" performed by Adele; 2008. Written by Bob Dylan; 1997


	12. Uninvited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Univited" Witten and performed by Alanis Moriissette; 1998

_ Like any uncharted territory  _

_ I must seem greatly intriguing  _

_ You speak of my love like  _

_ You have experienced love like mine before  _

_ But this is not allowed  _

_ You're uninvited  _

_ An unfortunate slight _

 

The steely cold fingers of fear gripped my heart. I couldn’t breathe. I poked my head out of the bathroom and stealthily checked out the rest of the condo for anything else that was out of place. Nothing. That should have calmed me, but it didn’t. I scrambled to put a bag together, grabbed my keys, and ran to the hotel. My lungs burned but it didn’t matter.  _ Just get there and tell him. _

 

I practically broke the door down trying to open it. It finally swung open. I dropped everything and dashed for the bed. It was empty.  _ Think Holly. THINK!  Where is he?  It was Monday. SHIT! The show starts filming today. _ I looked at the clock. I had time. 

 

It was still dark out. Kukui nut torches lit the path down to the beach. “HOLLY!” A lady’s voice called out. I saw Allie a few yards ahead of me. “I’m so glad to see you made it over for this. Come down to give Joe a big kiss before we start?” She linked her arm in mine and took me to the tent being used for hair and makeup. “Joe, Sweetie, look who came out to wish you luck!” Allie shooed the hair stylist to the side for a moment before she pushed me over to Joe. I straightened my back in an attempt to push down the shaking and shivering just below the surface.

 

He grabbed my hand as he sat in the chair. The stylist continued fussing with errant hairs. “Hi,” he whispered with a huge grin.

 

“Hi.” I replied equally as quiet. “I love you. You’re going to be amazing.” I kissed his cheek and struggled to not to just break down and tell him everything right there.

 

“Ok Joe... we’ve got to get to wardrobe.” a production hand instructed. He slid out of the chair. He wrapped around me. I closed my eyes and fought the tears that threatened to leak. I exhaled loudly.

 

He leaned back and looked at me. “Are... you ok?” His eyebrows knit together realizing that something was amiss. 

 

“Uh.” Sniffle.  “Yeah.” Exhale. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pajama pants before I gripped his tee shirt. “Oh yeah. I’m good. Fine. Yeah. Totally solid. Have a good show.”

 

He grimaced. “You sure?”

 

I let go of his shirt and started picking at the front of it. “Yeah. No. I’m sure. I’m great. Super great.”

 

_ Fucking coward. _

 

His fingers threaded through mine.“We’ll talk later. I love you. Good luck today.”

 

I squeezed his hands. “Yeah. Go. Wardrobe awaits.” I stood there for a second. I looked around. My eyes landed on a clock. A different kind of panic settled in me when I realized I was still in my pajamas. I had fifteen minutes to get ready for the day. I scurried back upstairs.

 

Once appropriately dressed, Davin met me with our crew on the sand. We greeted the Cast and quickly got them positioned. The audience arrived minutes later. M.J. came up to me and wired me up with headset connecting me to the techs. He gave me a thumb’s up and rushed back to his spot.

 

“Things are looking great out here Holly Hobbie!” Al walked up behind me. “Why must we be in suits now? It’s the middle of the night and I’m still sweating.”  I turned and smiled at him. “You look great!”

 

“Thanks Al.”

 

“After they’re done taping...”

 

“We’ve got to move over for the shoot at Rainbow Reef. Don’t worry. We’ve got it all taken care of. We’ve got more staff coming in at 10. They’re meeting us at there.”

 

“Great. Make sure you and Davin get something to eat before that shoot.” I winked and nodded. 

 

Al left me to manage the full house of people on the beach. “The house is locked and loaded - let’s get this baby started.” I responded to the chatter in my ear. The lights came up on the stage and the cameras started rolling. I spent the entire show pacing the outer perimeter. My eyes wavered between the stage and the audience. 

 

The show was spent meeting the three couples named as finalists to the Valentine’s Day wedding contest. One of the couples was spotlighted. They gushed their whole story for the cameras. I had to fight laughing out loud with all the inappropriate comments the techs made. “Annnd we’re out. Great job everyone. Holly, clear the house.” The stage manager called.

 

“I copy. The house will be yours in less than 5 minutes.”  I grabbed a few Cast Members and we started encouraging guests to exit. They hurried out to get in another line for autographs. 

 

“Four minutes, forty-eight seconds. Holly’s got a new record,” M.J. piped up in the headset as the last guest hit the sidewalk. I smiled. The techs applauded from their posts. 

 

“Alright gang! Holly’s done her job, let’s do ours,” Bill yelled from the booth. A sea of black emerged and cleared everything that wasn’t bolted down.

 

“Davin!” I yelled across the sand. “Cut ‘em loose so we can get some brekkie!” My partner in crime corralled our Cast and sent them on their merry way. Davin jogged over at the same time M.J. came to untangle me from the headset.

"Hey Holly. We need a code word." M.J. spoke just loud enough for me to hear. 

 

"What do you suggest?" I asked.

 

"Something that makes sense. Preferably easy to say. And nothing too girly."

 

I thought for a moment.  _ Ok... Clearly nothing that would cause panic if yelled. So anything disaster-related is out. _ "Zeus. The word is Zeus." I decided. M.J. nodded and walked away. I turned to Davin. “We need to eat, change, and meet our next crew.”

 

“Sure thing. Is everything ok?" I nodded."Ok then, I’ll meet you up at Ama Ama. And it looks like someone else wants a word with you,” Davin hinted with a nod.

 

I looked over to where he nodded. Joe stood in front of the stage. "I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Davin left as Joe and I walked toward each other. He wrapped his arms around me. “Whoa, whoa. Slow down Mister. Working...” I pointed to the name tag affixed to my chest.

 

He let go of me and took a step back. His hand reached out. I accepted it. “Do you know how difficult it was to focus while you stalked across the sand?” He pressed the back of my hand to his lips. 

 

“What were you doing watching me? You were supposed to be interviewing happy couples so someone can win a wedding.” I scolded.

 

“I couldn’t really help it. Every time you walked passed that torch,” he pointed to the back corner, “you just glowed.” I could feel my cheeks color, instinctively my eyes lowered. He laughed for a second. A quick kiss landed on the corner of my mouth. “So, do you have a minute to talk about earlier?”

 

“Uh... Now?” I scratched my head.  “No. Not really. I have to go.”

 

“Your work is never done. I love you.”

 

“Not for a few days, at least. I love you too.” I started to walk away. “Hey Joe?”

 

“Yes Holly?”

 

“I want to stay with you tonight. Ok?”

 

His face lit up. “Of course.” I smiled at him and walked away.

 

Davin was shovelling food in his face when I sat down across from him. “I’m glad to see you haven’t forgotten the ‘Scoop’.” I teased. He choked back a laugh as he motioned to the server. In seconds, a plate was set in front of me accompanied by coffee and a glass of juice. “We need to have a serious talk, Davs.”

 

“Did I do something wrong this morning? Have I let you down?” He immediately freaked.

 

“Davin no!  Everything went according to plan. You did great!” I reassured. “We need to talk about something more of a personal matter... my personal matter.”

 

“Do you need me to cover so you can spend some time with Joe?”

 

“No. That’s not it either.” He set his fork down and gave me his undivided attention. “But I do need your help. And I know you heard some part of my conversation with M.J." He looked puzzled. “Do you remember when I broke my leg?”

 

“Of course I remember. It was Candlelight - it rained all day. You slipped and fell down the stairs to the basement office.”

 

“Well... sort of...”

 

“What do you mean sort of?”

 

“Yes, I fell down the stairs. But it didn’t exactly happen the way everyone thinks it did.” I explained to him how Matt and I had broken up for the - I think - sixth time.  We argued as we walked down from the second floor. We had stopped on the stairs. He grabbed my forearm to prevent me from walking away. I tried to wiggle out of his grasp as we hissed through clenched teeth at each other. When I told him he was hurting me, he flung my arm at me. The momentum carried me."

 

“So you didn’t slip.” I squeezed my eyes shut in an effort to push the feelings that were welling under the surface. “But when we all got there, he was beside you. He was taking care of you. Why did you go along with what he told us? Why didn’t you tell us what happened?”

 

“He was scared. I was scared - and in pain. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’m sorry I lied to you about it.”

 

“Is that why he got fired?”

 

“Not directly. There was an investigation, but of course there was no real proof. It was all circumstantial. The bruise on my forearm could be explained away. It looked like an accident and so it was ruled one.”

 

“So why are you bringing this up now? Matt’s old news. You’ve got Joe now.”

 

“Because Matt is here.”

 

“WHAT?!” I signaled for him to keep it down. “What do you mean Matt is here?”

 

“He’s working with a production company. He’s here on property for the week. All the techs know. Al knows. Bill knows. They are all keeping an eye out for him. I need you to do the same, please.”

 

“Sure no problem. Of course I will Holly. What about -”

 

“Don’t say it! I’m still trying to figure out how to tell Joe.” My answer disappointed him. He frowned at me. “I know. I know. I’m going to tell him later. I have to. I think Matt was in my condo yesterday.”

 

“What do you mean you ‘think’ he was in the condo?” I explained the odd occurrences yesterday. “Oh Holly. This is bad. This is real bad.”

 

“Believe me Davin, I know. Just please keep an eye out. If something is hinkey, call me or Al or M.J. or Bill. If he’s nearby, say the word 'Zeus.' Until I let you know that I’ve told Joe, please don’t say a word to him.”

 

He sighed. “Ok. I will.” We quickly finished eating and got ready for the next round.

  
  


The golden rays of the sun beamed down as we started with our second crew of the day. This shoot was going to be easy. Rainbow Reef was closed for us. We had a small Cast to cordon off a secondary shot in the caverns where you could see under the water into the reef and to help answer questions.  There were two windows in the cavern. The camera was set up in one window. I was pressed up against the other. Joe had been standing on the deck rehearsing the cue cards in the corner. From my vantage point, he was a squiggly blob in blue and yellow trunks.

 

Fish bolted in different directions as a mass of air bubbles exploded underwater. His fins moved fluidly as he tread water to stay afloat. He adjusted his snorkeling mask and ducked his head below the surface.  He kicked himself over to the far end of the pool. He pointed at the different fish and tried to touch some of them. Of course they swam just out of his reach. Finally, he turned toward the cavern camera and waved at me. He swam up to the window and touched the glass. I put my hands up to his. I made fish faces at him from the other side of the camera. He pulled the snorkel from his mouth and made a kissy face. I laughed. The camera man motioned for him to move. 

 

I took that as a prime opportunity to check on everything else. I walked out of the cove and around to the other side of the reef. I checked in with Davin and the Cast. We were on schedule for the shoot. That made me very happy. I made my way back around the cavern. There was a note laying on the ground.

 

_ I hope you like my present... _

 

“Ok kiddo, you have to tell him. And you have to tell him now.” I told myself as I crumpled the note up into a ball. I took a deep breath. I walked around in search of Joe. I asked techs and production crew if they had seen him. I finally spotted him signing a few autographs on the other side of the pool. I made a rather large circle around so he would see me without it looking like I was trying to pull him away. He looked over. I gestured that I was going upstairs. He nodded.

 

When he came in, I was sitting on the bed going through the bag I had frantically thrown together hours ago.  _ Why the hell did I put in this bag?  _ He slid across the bed until he reached me. He kissed the top of my knee. I threw my bag to the floor. “Wanna talk about this morning?” He asked.

 

“Nope.” I answered.

 

“So you want me to pretend that you weren’t acting all sorts of weird this morning?”

 

“No.”

 

“Do you want me to forget that you were literally shaking when I hugged you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Do you want...”

 

“No, Joe. I do not want. I do not want you to pretend or to forget. I do not want to talk about it, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to talk about it. We are. We are going to talk about it because we are adults in an adult relationship and that’s what adults in adult relationships do. We talk about the difficult things that we don’t want to talk about when we don’t want to talk about them because we HAVE to talk about them.”

 

“Tell me what it is we HAVE to talk about because you are starting to freak me out.”

 

“Once upon a lifetime ago, in a galaxy far, far away I had this boyfriend. We were the Ken and Barbie of the college campus. On the outside, we looked perfect. We dressed perfect. We acted perfect. Everyone thought we were perfect.” I started slowly but once I started I couldn’t stop. Words flew out of my face. I told him everything - from the bumps and bruises to the self-esteem-crushing words. He sat there and listened. 

 

“Do you remember when you asked why I don’t dance professionally” He nodded. “Two years ago, during an argument, I had a little help falling down some stairs. I broke my leg in two places.”

 

“And by help you mean he was the reason you fell?”

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Ok.”

 

“Remember the first time you stayed at my house and I had that bad dream?’

 

“Yes.”

 

“It wasn’t a dream. It was a memory.”

 

“A memory? But you said in the dream that he threw you?!”   
  


“Yes. He ended the fight by throwing me off the balcony into the pool. That day he left me with 2 broken ribs, a black eye, glass in both feet, and a shoulder that required surgery to reattach the tendon to the bone. That day, I got a restraining order against him. That’s all there is. I cannot tell you how unbelievably sorry I am for not telling you sooner.””

 

“Ok. But why are you telling me this now? What happened this morning?”

 

“He’s here. He’s on the island. He’s working with a production company. He is really great at manipulation and playing games. This morning, it seemed it was possible - though I don’t know how - that he may have paid a visit to the condo. Things were not where I had left them.”

 

“Ok. Let’s go.”

 

“Where are we going?”   
  


“To the condo.”

 

We walked hand in hand back to the condo. The door opened as I reached to slide the key in the lock.  _ What the hell?  _ My face blanched and my hand started shaking. I froze. "Stay here." Joe commanded. I did as I was told. I couldn't look. I leaned against the wall and gripped the stucco with my fingertips. My mind raced to try and remember if I locked the door this morning. “What. The. FUCK?!” He yelled.  _ Shit.  _

 

Tears immediately spilled from my eyes as I walked through the entryway. My eyes went wide when I saw the large vase filled with long rose stems that had been relieved of their petals. My heart pounded in my ears as memories flooded back. I forced myself down the hall. A blanket of deep red rose petals made a path from the door to the bed. I bolted back as if I was on fire and practically climbed on top of the dresser. Joe stalked over to the side of the bed and picked up some flimsy lingerie that was near the pillows. I could see Joe’s mouth moving but I couldn’t hear a word over my heart pounding in my ears. Suddenly, the pounding was drowned out by my own piercing screams. 

 

The screams gave way to bile rising in my throat. I bolted off the dresser and tore to the bathroom just in time to projectile vomit into the toilet. I weakly reached up to flush between spewings. I laid my head on the edge of the seat and attempted to catch my breath before the next wave hit. He stared at me with a mixture of emotions. Mostly, he just looked scared.  Ancillary tears flowed from my eyes. The terror in his eyes disappeared as he knelt down beside me. I started to shiver. He reached out and placed his hand on top of my head. He quickly swiped my face, then my back, then my leg. “You’re soaked.” He stated with surprise. I nodded. He sat down on the floor and waited. 

 

I shifted, as I tried to ease my discomfort. I was hot. I was cold. I was in a variety of pains - physical, mental, and emotional. I started to get up but managed to topple to the floor. The tiles were cool on my cheek. My limp arm dropped onto his knee. I groaned as he gingerly tried to pull me into his lap. My shoulder wedged in the crook of his knee, my cheek rested on his thigh. His fingers stroked my completely disheveled hair. 

 

“I’m so sorry. I should have known. I should have figured it out. Drew practically told me without saying the words. He swore if I ever laid an unwanted hand on you he would gut me from sternum to scrotum.” A smile barely dimpled my cheek. “Ok... here’s what we’re going to do: We’re going to pack all of your stuff up - because if you think you’re staying here, you are absolutely crazy. We’re going to go back to the hotel where I am going to put you in a relaxing bath. We’ll have some dinner and go to bed. We will figure everything else out once you’ve had some rest.” Joe slid me back onto the floor as he got up. His arms wrapped around me and lifted me up. A rush of nausea washed over me. I careened into the countertop as my legs buckled beneath me. "Plan B: You sit here," he picked me back up and sat me on the tiled bench in the shower, "and I'll pack your bags, then we'll do that other stuff." 

 

I nodded before he stepped out of the bathroom. I watched him in the mirror as he opened the closet door and began throwing things into my suitcase. I closed my eyes and leaned back against tiles. When I opened my eyes again, my gaze fell on the row of alphabetized products that prompted my panic that morning. My foot reached out and swiped them. The clatter echoed. Joe rushed back in, "Are you ok?"

 

I nodded. "That shampoo was shifty," I answered. 

 

He handed me my smaller piece of luggage, "Think you can capture the shifty shampoo and its counterparts in here?" I held my hand out to receive the bag. He kissed my forehead. "Good girl." It only took a few minutes to get everything packed up - since I’d only brought a portion of my belongings over from the hotel. Joe stood between me and the mess that was the bedroom. I started to turn to look over my shoulder. “Ah ah. Don’t look back.” 

 

True to his word, the moment we got back to the suite, Joe started a bath, stripped me down, and helped me into the steamy water. He turned on the jets and walked out. I closed my eyes and exhaled loudly. I melded into the back of the tub. I was simply drained but that didn’t stop a new batch of tears that sprung up. I had no idea how long I had really been in there, but the deep wrinkles in my fingers and toes told me it was time to get out.

 

Joe was on the couch when I entered the living room. He sat hunched over the coffee table with his phone smashed against his ear. The fingers on his right hand pressed into his temple. “I gotta go. I love you too, Mom. Thank you.”

 

I sat down next to him. My head dropped to his shoulder. My hands wrapped around his bicep. “Hi Baby. How are you doing?”

 

His arm moved around me. “I should ask you the same question.”

 

I shrugged. “Meh. I’ve ridden this roller coaster before. But you... this has to be a whole new crazy train. I would understand if you wanted to...”   
  


“Don’t even finish that statement!” He abruptly stood up and stalked across the room as he yelled. “I am angry. I am angry for a dozen reasons. I’m angry that someone hurt you. I’m angry because someone scared you. I’m angry because I think about what else could have happened. What if I hadn’t been with you this afternoon? What if he had still been there when you came home? And it scares the hell out of me.

 

“I’m not going to lie, I am angry with you. I totally understand why you didn’t say anything before. But dammit Holly, the second you learned he was here, you should have told me. I have the means to keep you safe. I get you don’t want special attention and that you don’t want it to get in the way of doing your job. Except you’re forgetting one thing - you are special! And not just to me. Clearly there are a host of people who love and adore you - who would do anything for you. And who could blame them? You are just so amazing it’s hard not to fall in love with you the very second after meeting you.

 

“Mostly though, I’m mad at me. I’m mad that I didn’t pay attention this morning. I should have known something was wrong. You were so quiet. You came to tell me and I didn’t even notice. I failed you.”

 

I stood and walked to him. I grabbed the side of his face and forced him to look me in the eye. “You did NOT fail me. You have given to me. You have made time for me. You have made me feel special and important and loved. I mean really! You first watched me lose my shit in the condo and then you watched me lose my lunch - not two of my finer moments! And yet you held me, and you soothed me, and you took care of me. So you Sir, have not failed me!” I dropped his face, wrapped my arms around him, and held on tightly. His hand found the back of my head and held it to his chest. His other arm was around my back. I could hear his heart beat, his lungs fill and expel air, his stomach growl. “Are you hungry?”

 

“Yeah, a little.”

 

I peeled out of the hug and grasped his hand, “Come on. Let’s get something to eat.” Nestled between the spa and the Makaloa Garden sat the Wailana pool and bar. We chose seats on the far edge of the pool. The view went right across the green lawn and straight to the ocean. The sun was slowly falling. We were washed in its orange glow. We ordered and sat quietly. The soft sounds of a fountain echoed behind us. A lush breeze swept over us. After everything that had happened, this was the best thing we could have done. We stayed until the sun set and then it was off to bed for another EARLY morning.

 

We both climbed into bed and succumbed to exhaustion.

  
  
  


“You do know they aren’t going to find anything, right?” I asked Joe as we sat in the car parked outside of the condo. “At least not anything concrete.” We had just finished the day’s show when I got a call from Tasha. A neighbor thought they saw someone breaking in and called the police. Several cars sat in the driveway.

 

“Yeah, I figured as much.” He sighed. “Did you tell your peeps where to meet?”

 

“Yes.”

 

A detective approached my door. “Aloha Miss. Carmichael, Mr. Jonas. Do you know who may have done this?” Joe squeezed my hand before I gave every piece of information I could. He admonished me for not calling them. “At this point, we don’t really have a lot of evidence to charge him with anything - not even the attempted burglary your neighbor called in.”

 

I sighed. “I know. He’s very good at covering his tracks. At least the good news - for you, is that he’ll be gone in a couple of days.” 

 

“You’ll call me if anything else happens.” This was not a request. He handed me his card.

 

“Have no fear, we will,” Joe responded for me.

 

“Mahalo Detective.”

  
  
  


Al, Bill, M.J., and Davin sat at a table on the far side of the dining room. “Thank you all  for coming. We have a few things we need to talk about.”

 

“Let me start by saying thank you,” Joe spoke. “Thank you for watching out for Holly.”

 

“What did he do?” The four men sitting across from us asked simultaneously. I was fairly certain they were all going to explode as I explained the events that had transpired. 

 

“From here on out, Holly will be staying with me. Tomorrow we will be relinquishing the condo back to Tanya - with the recommendation to change the locks, which we will pay for. Next order of business - and I’ll tell you that she and I do not agree on this -  I want her to have a security detail.” The four of them sat back and mulled it over. Their eyes shifted from me, to Joe, and back to me.

 

I looked at Joe. “Matt knows better than to come near me on property. He knows people are watching him. I just don’t see the point now. I will either be on property or with you,” I turned to the others at the table, “or one of you.”

 

"Well I, for one, am glad the police are finally involved!" Bill spoke up. A round of "me too" quickly followed. "Holly, I'm sorry. You know I mean you no disrespect - you know I adore you as much as my own kids. Finally someone is making sense and looking out for you!" He stood up and reached across the table, "Thank you for getting through that stubborn head of hers." He shook Joe's hand. "You do whatever it takes to keep her safe." After that, he left.

 

I looked to Al, Davin, and MJ. None of them said a word. Joe's phone started ringing. He excused himself to answer it. MJ was next. "You know he's right. And you know we all want what's best for you." Davin nodded. They both pushed their chairs back and walked away.

 

That left me and Al. He called a server over and ordered some lunch before he weighed in. He sat back in his chair, laced his fingers, and put them behind his head. "What do you want?"

 

"That doesn't seem to matter now does it?"

 

"It matters to me." I sighed at his response. "Holly Hobby, look... Had I known he was going to be here, I wouldn't have sent you."

 

"That hardly seems fair Al."

 

"You're right, it's not. But I wouldn't have wanted to put you or this event in jeopardy. I have been scared shitless for you since the moment I found out. Yes, we know Matt won't come near you here. And I should have moved you from the condo. But don't get upset and be pouty because Joe wants to ensure you are safe. To me, that means he really is good enough for you."

 

"I'm not upset. I'm concerned. You brought me here to do a job. How can I do that job with a shadow? 'Hi friendly Cast Members, I'm Holly and I'll be taking care of you today. And this huge mass of a man is my body guard because I have a crazy, stalker ex working with one of the production companies.' I don't really see that going over so well."

 

"Honey, I know you are a strong-willed, independent woman. It's one of your best qualities. But this is bigger than you. We're all watching over our shoulders for you. But we can't be there 24/7."

 

"But Al..."

 

"Do not ‘but Al' me, or I will have you on the next flight back home."

 

I dropped my head in defeat. "Yes Sir."

 

"Now again I ask, what do you want?"

 

"Do I have to get a real bodyguard? Why can't we talk to Keola about one of his security Cast Members? You know, a like a plainclothes officer who will blend in better? Can I have someone who just kind of hangs back and watches? You know at a distance?"

 

"I think that’s very reasonable request. Joe and I will discuss it. Now why don't you see about getting a massage or a nap, my treat." 

 

"Are you giving me the go-get-yourself-something-pretty-while-the-menfolk-talk brush off?" 

 

"Nooooo of course not," he winked. "You deserve a little relaxation and I want to have a talk with Mr. Incredible." I huffed in response. "Joe! Come take your girlfriend to the spa, then we need to chat." 

 

With a nod, Joe slipped his phone back in his pocket and extended his hand out to me. Just as directed, he walked me to Laniwai Spa. The receptionist was instructed to give me the works. She smiled and excused herself. He turned to me. His hands gently squeezed my shoulders. “For the rest of the day, you are only allowed to relax. Al and I will take care of everything else. I’ll come get you for dinner.” He gave me a hug and a kiss. “I love you. Now give me that.” He pointed at the phone in my pocket.

 

I handed all my electronic devices over. “I love you too.” I replied. A moment later, the receptionist came back to take me to the heart of the spa. It was hard to still my mind as I waited in the quiet room. But there was a shift. I wasn’t thinking about work. I thought about Joe. I thought about Matt. It surprised me at first. I’m not angry. And for the first time in a long time, I’m not scared. I’m sad. I was sad FOR him. Once upon a time, he was a great guy. I loved him. But he took a beautiful thing and made it ugly and scary. And for that, he didn’t deserve my love. And though I was sad, he didn’t deserve my pity either. He put the chain of events into action. He caused all of this. I was brought out of my thoughts by a therapist calling my name. Unbeknownst to me, hours passed. By the time Joe came back to collect me, I had been polished, massaged, moisturized, and completely rejuvenated. 

 

He took me out into the afternoon sun and stopped. He stepped in front of me and just looked. I stood there for a few minutes while he surveyed. To combat the nervous feeling that started to prick the back of my neck, I started tap dancing and finished with a ridiculously large flourish. “Ta daaaaaaaaaaaa,” I smiled.

 

“There’s my girl!” He beamed. He plopped a kiss on the top of my head and slung his arm over my shoulder. He steered me down the stairs to the beach and along the sidewalk between the sand and the hotel. 

 

“How far behind us are they?” I asked after about 100 yards.

 

“Close enough if there’s trouble; but far enough to give us our space. But they aren’t watching us. They’re watching everyone else.” I nodded and we continued our walk. "How's this for dinner?" He asked as we stopped in front of Longboards - a beachfront restaurant.

 

We were immediately seated at the perfect table to watch the sun sink. Our server greeted us. I laughed to myself as recognition flashed across her face. She suddenly became nervous and fumbled through our drink order. A glass of water became a casualty when she knocked it over. "Oh my gosh! I am so sorry." Her cheeks were crimson.

 

Joe and I both reached for her hand as it attempted to sop it up. Pieces of ice flew in different directions. His hand landed first. "It's ok." He flashed that megawatt smile. I thought she was either going to die from embarrassment or just cry. 

 

She broke eye contact with him and looked at me. I smiled and nodded. "We'll take care of this. Only the sand got wet." She practically ran from the table. We quietly laughed. 

 

"I am so sorry about that!" A portly man, I could only assume was the manager, rushed to the table. He rambled on about how or server is one of his best and he couldn't understand what happened. He even mentioned something about getting us another server.

 

"That really won't be necessary," Joe warmly replied. "I'm sure it was just a fluke and she'll be fine. If it's all the same to you, we'd like her to still take care of us."

 

"Mahalo for your patience." He scurried away as his legs would carry him.

 

Our server returned a few minutes later. She started to apologize. "It really is ok," I smiled up at her. I looked over at Joe then to the table where Tiny sat.

 

"Will you excuse me for a minute?" He quickly stood up.

 

Once I was sure he was out of earshot, I turned back to the server. "I know it's exciting and nerve-wracking to be around him. I still have those moments where I completely spaz out. But I'm going to tell you a little secret... He's just a normal person like you and me."

 

"But he's famous! And super hot!" She whispered. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that to you."

 

"Both of those statements are fact. There's nothing to be sorry about. And believe me, I am fully aware of the effects of both of those facts. I'm just telling you, that you shouldn't treat us any differently than you would the people at your other tables. Ok? I promise we won’t treat you any differently than they do.”

 

Joe sat back down. "Ready to order?"  We both nodded. He sat down and we told her our order. “Sooooo, what did you two talk about?”

 

“You,” I laughed. We finished dinner without further incident. When the check came, I was  sure to leave a much larger tip than necessary. It just seemed like the right thing to do.


	13. Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry

_ When we kissed I felt a sweet sensation _

_ This time it wasn't just my imagination _

_ Today i met the boy I'm gonna marry _

_ He's just what I've been waiting for oh yes _

_ With every kiss it's as if my heart keeps saying _

_ Today I met the boy I'm gonna marry _

 

I walked into the war room prepared to face whatever was going to be thrown at me. The air wall between the two ballrooms had been pulled back slightly. I walked through to find the other side had been turned into a wedding emporium. The racks of dresses were unwrapped and waiting for the winning bride to select one.

 

"What'cha doin' Holls?" Davin asked as my fingers lightly touched one of the gowns. "Dreaming of your big day?"

 

I laughed, "Ooooohhhhhhh yeah!" I pulled the dress from its hanger. "This dress just screams me!"

 

"Actually, it kind of does," he whispered.

 

The doors opened abruptly, “HOLLY!" Joe bellowed as he and Tiny entered the ballroom. His mouth opened to say more, but closed the second he saw me holding the dress up to my body. 

 

"It's not what it looks like. I... I ... I was just joking around." I stammered. I quickly attempted to put it back on the hanger. With a woosh, it fell into a white puddle on the floor. "Thanks Davin!"

 

He shook off whatever thoughts he was having. "I just wanted to uh... Uh..." He scratched his head as he tried to remember what he was going to say.  _ Ooooohhhhhhh no. That's it. I just completely wigged him out. But he looks so adorable soooooo befuddled.  _

 

Tiny laughed. "What he's trying to say is..."

 

"Holly, come meet your security," Al announced with Keola behind him.

 

"Aloha Holly," the head of security greeted. "This Ke’alohi. Ke’alohi, this is Holly." We looked at each other for a moment. "He's the best man I got.”

 

"Aloha Ke’alohi." I extended my hand. He wasn’t at all what I imagined. He wasn’t a beast of a man - just your average build.

 

“Don’t let his size fool you. He’s my best man - former Navy SEAL.” Keola informed. I nodded. Joe and Davin both introduced themselves and shook his hand.

 

“All right. Introductions are over, let’s get some work done.” Al proclaimed.

 

Joe walked up to me and smacked a kiss on my lips, “I love you. I’ll see you later.” He left with Al and Keola in tow.

 

“For what it’s worth Holly, I wouldn’t be too worried about that.” Davin pointed to the dress on the ground. I picked it up and hung it back up properly. “I’m gonna go check in the Cast. I suggest you play nice.” His eyes shifted to my new friend. He grabbed the tools he would need for the next few hours and left.

 

Once I was certain everything in the makeshift bridal salon was in order and ready for the melee that was sure to come, I looked at Ke’alohi.  “Let’s have a seat and chat.” We walked through the opening in the air wall and sat down. “I’m sure Al and Joe have given you and Keola all the details that have made it necessary for me to need you.”

 

“They did. Including that you don’t want me.” He spoke.

 

_ Hmmm.  _ “That’s not exactly true. It’s not that I didn’t want you, specifically. I really didn’t want any sort of detail.”

 

“Didn’t? So now you do?”

 

_ He’s smart. _ “Honestly, no. But that fact is, I’m going to have one. So we might as well make the most of it.” He looked me over. I’m not sure if it was skepticism or if he was just sizing me up. “I only ask that you respect that I am here to do a job. Just as I respect that you have one to do as well. I will not make your life a living hell. I will listen. I will do as you advise. I will not fight you. I do not want the time we are together to be awkward. So I promise to answer any question you have honestly.”

 

“Any question?”

 

“Yes, Sir.”

 

“Why the change of heart?”

 

“Well, not to sound Stepford-like, but I am a very lucky girl. I have many people who love me and who have my best interest at heart. I do not want to burden them with the added worry of my safety. If having you around eases their worries, then who am I to take that from them.”

 

A wry smile tugged at his cheek. “I’ll be damned. It’s true.”

 

“I’m sorry? What’s true?”

 

“They told me you were unlike anyone I have ever met. And you definitely do not fit the picture one gets of you on paper.”

 

I felt my face scrunch up. “And what picture is on paper?”

 

“You know - born to celebrity parents. Girlfriend to a celebrity. With those two factors alone one might expect you to be more Kardashian-like.”

 

“If you knew my mother, you would understand why that would never happen!” I laughed. We spent another ten minutes getting to know one another before my radio crackled to life. It was still an hour until the show started, but Davin needed help, and he needed it fast. I geared up.

 

We could hear the crowd before we could see them. It was if the entire Island wanted to be here to find out which couple won. The lines were under control, but just barely. With the stage acting as no-man’s land in the center, the lines flowed out from either side down the sidewalk as far as the eye could see. I blazed a trail to the sand. MJ met me at the barricade with my headset. I quickly introduced him to Ke’alohi. “You’re all set. Tell us what you need.”

 

“Good Morning everyone,” I greeted the techs over the headset. “Hey Bill! In case you haven’t noticed I’ve got the start of madness out here. I’m gonna need the house as soon as you can give it to me.”

 

“Is that New Year’s Eve madness? Or Miley’s birthday party madness?” Bill joked.

 

“Pirates Premiere madness.”

 

“Which one?”

 

“The first one.”

 

“Ok Team. You’ve got 5 minutes to hand it over.” 

 

“Thanks Bill.”  

 

Through the bustle of black uniforms moving about, a tiny pillar of red  scooted to the edge of the stage. “Holly,” she quietly  called. “HOLLY!” I jogged over to Allie. “What are you doing down there?”

 

“I’m working. What are you doing up there?”

 

“WORKING?! But I thought you were here with Joe?”

 

“I’m here with Joe too. Our schedules just kind of worked out this way.” I looked around. By the chatter in my ear, I could tell the techs were just about finished.

 

“So are you in charge or something?”

 

“Or something. Allie, Sweetie, I need you to head back to the green room. I’m about to let the audience in.”

 

Her smile beamed. “Look at you, all in control. Your stock just rose in my book, Honey.” She turned to the back of the stage. “Joe! Get out here and look at your girlfriend!” Joe stepped out from the side. The crowds closest started to cheer at the sight of the two of them onstage.

 

I could barely hear the call from the techs giving me the house. “You two! Get off stage NOW!” I barked.

 

“She is so sexy when she’s demanding,” Allie yelled across to him. 

 

I forcefully pointed for them to go away. “Thank you guys. The house will be opening as soon as Allie and Joe leave.” MJ stepped up and pushed them back to where they should be. “Thank you MJ.” I pulled my radio off my belt. “Head’s up Davin. I need everyone in position. House is opening in two minutes.  Within seconds, our Cast sprang into action. I looked at each of them and gave them a thumb’s up. With huge grins, they each returned the signal. “Let’s rock and roll kids. The horses are on the track.” I spoke into my headset as the barricades opened.

 

The audience was alive with excitement. I felt sorry for anyone still trying to sleep through the pre-dawn back in the hotel. It sounded like a rock concert instead of a morning talk show down on the beach. Along the upper edges of the property, I could see Cast Members sneaking a peek. 

 

The intro music started playing. The roar was near deafening as Allie, Mike, and Joe came out on stage. “Happy Valentine’s Day everybody!” Allie called out with a wave. 

 

I pressed the button on my headset. “Why didn’t any of you yahoos remind me today was Valentine’s Day?!?!?!” I scolded. A chorus of laughter resounded through my ear. I went for my radio. “Davin. Remind me later that I need your help with something.”

 

“10-4 Holly.”

 

A stage hand wheeled out a cart full of roses. He handed an armload to each of the three hosts. They all came off the stage, into the audience, and handed them out. I watched each of them cautiously as they waded through the throngs. Allie and Mike quickly dispersed their allotment. Joe was down to one rose and stalked toward me. I froze in the sand and stared at him. Catcalls and whistles echoed as I pulled my headset off. “What are you doing?” I mouthed to him.

 

“I love you,” he responded. Before I could reply, he took me in his arms. He dipped me dramatically and crushed his lips to mine. People were on their feet clapping and hooting. He stood me back up and handed me the rose before he ran and jumped back up onstage. The next thing I knew, Mike was letting all the couples know that though there was only one grand prize wedding, the remaining three couples would be given with $10,000 to help with the weddings of their dreams. As soon as the audience settled down, the winners were announced and a rain of confetti fell to the floor. 

 

We cleared the beach, thanked the Cast, and ran for the war room/bridal salon. Davin and I made it just minutes before the bride and groom were escorted in with a wedding coordinator from the show. She babbled on and on. It was clear the couple was overwhelmed. “Hi. I’m Holly. This is Davin. We’re here to help. And the first thing I’m going to do is give you a minute.” I grabbed Allison by the elbow. “Come on Allison, the baker needs to talk to you.” She scurried away mumbling something about gum paste flowers. I turned back to the couple. “Alright my love birds! Let’s have a seat. Davin and I pulled two chairs out from a table. “Can we get you anything? Water? Soda? Cocktail?”

 

They looked shell shocked. But after a few minutes, reality started to sink in for Dana and Perry. They couldn’t stop smiling. And then the giggles started. And then, much to my surprise, they started making out - like get-a-room making out.”Whoa whoa whoa!  Take a breath kids!  We’ve got work to do! And believe me, if you want the wedding of YOUR dreams, you want to talk to me before Allison gets back.”

 

Davin handed me a note pad. I listened and jotted notes as they answered my questions. “Ok happy couple! Let’s plan a wedding!” Allison sang as she reentered the room.

 

“Dana,  Perry  - we have less than 24 hours to make this happen. Go gather your bridal party and anyone you want involved in this process. Perry, Team Groom is going to go with Davin to Pau Hana. Dana, Team Bride will meet right here. Annnnnnddddd BREAK!”

 

Allison stood and stared at me. “Wait!  Where are they going?”

 

“I need your help Allison!” I rushed over to her with my notepad. “Ok. The couple has chosen navy blue and tangerine for their colors. You have two and a half hours to get sample table settings with centerpieces together!” I jotted a few key details down and handed the piece of paper to her. 

 

“I need to get linens and flowers!” She clamored. 

 

“Hang on Sweetie.” I stopped her. “Michelle! Kara!” Two other ladies came in from the back. “Will you please assist Allison?” With a nod, they took the coordinator and set out to complete the task. With a moment of silence, I realized I was alone. I popped my head out the door. Ke’alohi was seated in a chair on the lawn across from the ballroom. He looked up from his phone. “Can I ask you to help me?” He stood up and walked over to me. “In a few minutes, the Bride and her party will be coming back to try on dresses. Will you please ensure no one comes in here until I say otherwise?”

 

He laughed lightly. “You’re asking me to help keep people out of the room where the person I am protecting is going to be?”

 

“So you’ll help?”

 

He nodded. ‘You got it. I’ll be right over there.” He pointed to the chair he had been sitting in.

 

“Thank you!” I called as he returned to his seat. 

 

Dana returned with her flock. They clucked like a bunch of hens as I ushered them in. The Bride introduced me to her mother as well as her bride’s maids. I quickly sent the maids to the racks of bridesmaid dresses. The Bride told them they could pick any style dress they wanted that was available in navy blue. It didn’t take long before seamstresses had marked the dresses and rushed to make the necessary alterations. And then we all turned to the Bride. I spent the better part of an hour zipping and bustling her into a variety of dresses, headpieces, and veils.

 

And then it happened. It started with a gasp from her mother. I watched as Dana’s forehead creased ever so slightly. The skin around her eyes crinkled. The lower rim of her eye started to fill. Her chin quivered. I grabbed a box of tissues and darted across the room dispensing them to each lady. She looked at me. With a silent nod, the first tear fell. “Ok.” I whispered to her. “Ladies?” I looked to her pack. They all dabbed their eyes. They all agreed that was her dress. The pop of a cork punctuated the moment. A member of the catering staff served each of them a glass of champagne as a second team of seamstresses pulled and pinned the gown to a perfect fit.

 

“Holly, you there?” Davin broke the radio silence.

 

“Go for Holly.”

 

“We are finished at Pau.”

 

“10-4 Davin. I need the Groom to go to Makihiki. Cut the rest of the party loose.”

 

“I copy.”

 

“Ok ladies. Thank you for your time. Please feel free to stay and enjoy more champagne and snacks. I must whisk the bride away to firm up a few more plans. Dana, these ladies will be helping you out of your dress so they may make the final touches. Your dresses will be delivered to the bridal suite on the 10th floor later this evening. I need you all to take it easy today. Get some rest. You must be ready for hair and makeup at 2:00 a.m.” Once Dana was back in regular clothes, I escorted her to Makahiki to meet her groom and choose their reception menu.

 

I met Davin outside after he delivered the groom. “Holly. You asked me earlier to remind you that you needed my help with something.” A sly smile spread across my face. “It makes me nervous when you get that look.” 

  
  
  
  


“When did you get up?” Joe asked as he walked out of the bedroom in his pajama pants. His hair was completely disheveled.

 

“The better question would be, ‘when did I go to bed?’”

 

“Did you go to bed?” I shook my head. “What have you been doing all night?”

 

“I started with favors and then I moved on to the playlist for the reception ” I did my best Vanna White impersonation and displayed to table full of boxes filled with treats. He reached for the color coordinated ribbons. “Untie one of those and I will hurt you.”

 

“How are you gonna get through the day?”

 

“Odwalla Protein Monsters, Red Bulls, and Power Bars,” I answered as I stood up.

 

“I don’t like that answer,” he scolded.

 

“Really? I don’t see where you have a leg to stand on. Event Mode isn’t that different from touring.”

 

“Oh I would love to hear you explain this one to me,” he retorted. He planted his bare feet into the floor. His arms crossed over his bare chest. His jaw clenched in anticipation of his next rebuttal. 

 

“Alright. When you’re on tour, you’re running around all the time from one venue to another. You’re hitting radio stations, fan meet and greets, appearances, sound checks and shows. You run on empty for as long as you can. By the time the tour is over you’re completely drained - but happy because you’ve done your job. This is no different. This couple, this Bride and Groom, get this one day to have all these first moments - more than any one day should ever allow. But by the grace of God, the day fits them all in. One perfect day of firsts. And I have been put here, in this position to make sure it happens for them. If that means I have to stay up for one night to make sure these, what may seem to many as tiny, insignificant details are perfect then so be it.”

 

He stared at me. Whatever argument he planned to come back at me with was shot down. His arms dropped. His jaw softened. I stared back at him. In two steps he had me in his arms. He kissed me deeply and passionately. “You, Holly Carmichael, are something truly amazing. You look at this world in a way no one I have ever met can. You see things in a way I can only hope to see. This couple, THIS Bride and THIS Groom are so lucky to have you to help them. And I am the luckiest man in the world to have you as my girlfriend.” He swiped a few renegade hairs off my face. “Is there something I can do to help you?”

 

I pulled the chair in front of my laptop out. “Will you listen to the playlist and make sure the cuts sound right? I think they’re alright, but I need another pair of ears to hear them.”

 

He immediately sat down and scrolled through open windows to get to my iTunes. He saw the list of songs. “Did you cut all of these?”

 

“Some of them I cut. Some of them had to be looped with an extra chorus or two. Some I mashed up with other songs.” I yawned.

 

“Honey, there are 20 songs here!”

 

“Yeah? Does that seem like a lot? Dana was very specific.”

 

“And you just happened to have ALL of these songs?” I nodded. Joe slid a pair of headphones over his ears and started listening.

 

“I’m gonna hop in the shower while you do that.” 

 

I stood under the hot water and let it beat on my head. It was already one o’clock. The Bride and her party would be in the room across the hall in an hour. I was running out of time. Even as I soaped up, I created a list of things I still needed to take care of before they arrived. The longer the list got, the more anxious I became. I turned off the water and hopped out with suds still sliding down my back. I grabbed a towel and dashed to the phone. I called room service. “Aloha, good morning. It’s Holly. How are things going down there?” I asked manager on the other end. She quickly ran down everything that we had discussed the day before. “That sounds perfect. Did I remember to order continental breakfast service for both the Bride’s room and the Groom’s room? They’re going to need to eat something before the show.” She allayed my fears and told me both suites would be ready to go in the next fifteen minutes. I thanked her profusely and hung up.  _ Check one thing off the list. _ I ran back to the bathroom to finish getting ready for the day. I pulled my hair into a tidy chignon and applied just enough makeup to conceal any evidence of my lack of sleep. I slipped into my dress and stepped into a pair of bright yellow pumps. I grabbed the matching yellow flower belt off the bed and slid it around my waist. I walked out of the bedroom as I hung my earrings in my ears.

 

“I may have you come cut my tracks,” Joe announced as he glanced over the top of my screen. I reached over his shoulder to eject the flash drive that held the playlist.

 

There was a knock at the door. I ran to let Davin in. “Morning Sunshine.” I smiled.

 

“You are a liar. It is not morning. And you haven’t been to bed.” 

 

“Davs, do you need coffee or a Red Bull to get you going?”

 

“No thank you. Just tell me what you need me to do. That will wake me up.” I handed him a laundry list of tasks to complete.

 

“Wait Davin - when you check the Cast in, remember they’re supposed to be in the Special Issue Traditional Wedding wear, not the Guest Control costume. And can you give this to MJ or BIll?” I handed over the flash drive.

 

“I got it.” He waved back as he headed down the hallway. 

 

Room service came down the hall. I quickly grabbed a key from between my computer and the favors spread across the table. I jammed our door so it would stay open on my way to the adjacent door. The Bridal Suite was the exact same setup as the suite Joe and I had.

 

The makeup artists and hair stylists showed up minutes later. We discussed strategy to get everyone ready in time while they set up their stations on opposite sides of the dining table. I checked the closet in the bedroom to ensure the girls’ dresses, extra robes, and slippers I requested had been delivered. They had. I quickly laid the robes out across the bed and the slippers on the floor. Dana had asked for one thing in the bridal suite - a copy of  _ The Muppets Take Manhattan _ . It sat on the coffee table just waiting to be watched. The photographer slipped in and readied her camera. 

 

I heard commotion in the hallway. I raced to find the bride and her Team walking toward me in matching Team Bride t-shirts and pajama pants. I stepped to the middle of the hall. “Good Morning Ladies!” They stopped. They looked to the left. I followed their gaze into our suite where Joe still sat shirtless over my laptop. He looked up and smiled at them. “OH!”  I scrambled to the door. “I’m so sorry Honey!” I told him as the door closed. “I love you! See you in a little while!” Once the door clicked shut, I pressed my back into it and emitted an embarrassed giggle. The girls were also atwitter with giggles and wide-eyed stares. “Let’s go in here!” I ushered them into the other room and closed the door. I introduced the girls to the makeup artists and hair stylists. “Ladies, please try your dresses on first, just in case we need any other alterations. Dana, let’s have a seat.”  She followed me to the couch. “How are you doing? It’s been a whirlwind of a week.”

 

She grabbed my hand. “I should be nervous, right? I mean you hear all the stories of the jitters brides have on their wedding day. But I’m not. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. And thanks to you, I have no worries that something is going to go wrong.”

 

The four girls came out of the bedroom in their dresses. Dana laughed and clapped as they sashayed around the living room like super models. “Everybody feel good about their dress?” They all nodded. “Ok. Take the dresses off, put on your robes, let’s get some hair and makeup done! Don’t forget to eat.”  Five minutes later, the four girls were seated at the tables. “I need to check on a few things outside. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

 

I took the elevator down to the Makaloa Garden. I spotted Ke’alohi sitting just outside the elevator on the ground floor. I waved at him and motioned that I was going out. He got up and followed. I walked to the ceremony venue. It was full of activity as chairs were set and flowers placed. A camera crew checked the lighting. Allison ran around behind me yelling something about programs and cones of plumeria flowers. Once satisfied with the way things were going, I headed back upstairs.

 

Joe walked out of our room as I was headed back to the ladies. His eyes smoldered as he looked at me. My hand slid along the wall.  _ Lord have mercy! _ His hand casually swept his jacket back as he put it in his pocket. The left side of his face curved into a half a smile. I stopped walking and leaned into the wall. My heart sped up. I sucked in a deep breath. He wore a khaki colored three-piece suit.  _ MOVE!  _  My feet carried me to him, my momentum pushed him into the wall. I planted a fat kiss on his mouth, pulled back, and wiped the lipstick away. “You Sir, know how to make a lady melt with one look.” I stepped back to the other side of the hall as I heard a door open. 

 

“I do not know how you can stand here and watch that ass walk away,” Dana commented. Joe was far enough down the hall he couldn’t hear her. 

 

I laughed. “Some days... it’s really hard.”

 

“I bet IT is.” She busted up like a 12 year old. I joined in. “Think you two will get married?” 

 

My giggles stopped. I looked in her eyes. They shone brightly with hope and joy. “I don’t know.” I whispered.

 

“But you want to, right?”

 

_ That was an excellent question that I should not think about. _ “Come on, let’s get you ready for your groom.” A bridesmaid popped open a bottle of champagne as another turned on the movie while the Bride sat down to be fussed over. 

 

For the next hour and a half, I ran back and forth between the Bride, the Groom, the beach, and the ceremony site. I made my way to the Bride for one last time. The girls sat around the tv. Miss Piggy started singing, and Dana right along with her. “He’ll make me happy; each time I see him; he’ll be the reason; my heart can sing; he’ll stand beside me; and I’ll have everything...”  _ I only know, he’ll make me happy. That’s all I need to know. _ I looked over and saw the tears that welled in her eyes. 

 

“Don’t you dare cry,” the makeup artist scolded. I handed a handkerchief down the line of ladies until it got to Dana. She dabbed the corners of her eyes.

 

There was a knock on the door. “Get her in the bedroom,” I hissed at the girls. They all scattered. I opened the door to find Perry, the groom standing in his tuxedo.

 

“I want to talk to her.” 

 

“Give me a minute.” I cracked open the bedroom door and slipped inside. “You four, out on the balcony. Dana, Perry wants to talk to you.”

 

“He can’t see her!” The bridesmaids yelled.

 

“He’s not going to see her. Leave it to me. Dana, come over here please.” I positioned her behind the bedroom door. “Photographer, stand here please.” She nodded, knowing exactly what I was setting up. I got Perry from the hallway. I took him to the half opened bedroom door. “You may speak. You may reach. But you may not look or walk around this door.” I turned for the living room to open the sliding glass door and the girls back in. They spoke for a few minutes before he pressed his lips to the door and walked out of the room.

 

As soon as the door was closed again I called out, “It’s time to get dressed girls!” Robe-clad bodies jumped up and ran to the bedroom. The Mother of the Bride showed up just in time to snap pictures while she zipped her daughter into her dress. “When I come back, it will be time to go.”

 

I headed down to the beach to make sure everything was set for the show. MJ met me halfway to put me in my headset. “Everybody ok up there? No meltdowns?” 

 

“Everybody’s great!  They were getting dressed as I left.” We loaded the house in record time. I went up to Makaloa Garden for one last check of the site. 

 

“All the wedding guests need to be seated in 20 minutes. I need the men in 25 minutes and the ladies in 30. Let’s have a wedding!” Bill ran down the timeline in all of our ears. The Cast working the wedding awaited the guests’ arrival with armfuls of orchid leis. 

 

The pre-ceremony music started as Allison led the guests to the Makaloa Garden. Cast Members greeted each person with the traditional lei ceremony before they were seated.  “The nest is full. Time to get the lovebirds,” I called out over the headset and radio. 

 

“Hosts are on the move,” Davin returned. I sent Allison to get the groom while I went back for the ladies.

 

Excited screams and laughter bled into the hallway as I reached the door. I walked in to find all five ladies dressed and jumping up and down on the bed squealing with joy. I laughed at the sight while the photographer busily snapped frame after frame. “Who’s ready to get married?” I called to them. They immediately bounced to the floor, the Bride ended up on her rear which made them laugh even harder. I pulled her up and helped her slip into her shoes. The makeup artists applied the final touches and gave their approval to go. They each grabbed their bouquets.

 

“Hosts are in the nest. The Eagle is on final approach.” Davin radio.

 

“The Sparrow is taking flight.” I responded. We took off for the elevator. I staged them on the other side of the Wailani bar. 

 

“Poppa Bird and Momma Birds are seated.”

 

I grabbed Dana’s dad and brought him to the girls. He sucked in a breath at the sight of his little girl. I quickly handed him a handkerchief from the purse strapped across my body. He gave her a hug and kissed her forehead. The music changed to the processional. “Go girls!” The bridesmaids walked in a single file line down the aisle. 

 

“Cue the Sparrow,” Bill called.

 

“Go!” I whispered. Dana and her father started around to the Garden.

 

Dawn colored the sky just as they were pronounced Mr and Mrs. The bridal party recessed as Allie, Mike, and Joe closed the show. The happy couple ran by me. “Remember kids, photos first! We’ll see you at the reception tonight.”

 

“Well done Holly,” Al clapped his hands. “Maybe I should move you over to  _ Fairytale Weddings _ permanently.

 

“Oh Al, they would seriously have to raise the prices to afford me.” 

 

“I know, Kiddo. I could not have made this happen without you!” His face turned serious, “What am I going to do while you’re off becoming a big dance star?”

 

I gave him a hug. “You’re going to be fine. The team is going to be fine. You’ll just have to figure out how to make your own coffee.” I smirked.

 

He laughed. “Do me a favor?”

 

“For you? Anything.”

 

“Go take a nap. Take care of the reception tonight. Then take tomorrow off. Go somewhere. See the Island.”

 

“I’m really glad you said that, I already made plans for tomorrow. I figured you didn’t want to pay me for 7 days.” He patted me on the back before he turned away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry" performed by Darlene Love; 1963.


	14. Love Me Like You Do

_ Fading in, fading out _

_ On the edge of paradise _

_ Every inch of your skin is a holy grail I've got to find _

_ Only you can set my heart on fire, on fire _

_ Yeah, I'll let you set the pace _

_ 'Cause I'm not thinking straight _

_ My head's spinning around I can't see clear no more _

_ What are you waiting for? _

  
  


The sun had set for the day, but the reception was just kicking into high gear. The finery of the day had been swapped for relaxation and comfort. But even flip-flops were kicked aside in favor of bare feet on the dance floor. Dana and Perry both glowed. “Holly? Are you going to be off the clock anytime soon so you can have a glass of champagne with us?” Dana hurriedly spoke to me.

 

“Not until you’ve danced your heart out!” I smiled back at her. She pouted at me. I just laughed and nudged her back to the fun. Two hours later, the newlyweds were sent off in a shower of sparklers. Guests dissipated and all that remained were the tiki torches and parquet flooring. I said good-night to Davin and the rest of the crew and watched them funnel up the path toward the hotel. As the path cleared, Joe stepped out into view. 

 

_ When did my life turn into THAT moment in a romantic comedy? _ Still dressed in his suit, he walked toward me.  _ Slow down heart, slow down. The world can hear you right now! _ He extended his hand to me with a goofy grin. 

 

I placed my hand in his and he led me to the empty dance floor and pulled me in close. I felt his lips graze my ear. “You did a great job with all of this.” He kissed my earlobe. I snuggled into him. “I love you, Holly.” 

 

We swayed with the music of the waves and the breeze through the palm trees, our feet turned in tiny circles around the floor. He held my hand against his chest. His heart beat steadily. I nestled my cheek into his neck.  _ Can I stay right here forever?  _ I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could still smell a hint of his cologne. I lifted my head slightly. My lips pressed into his neck. One kiss turned to two, then three, before I knew it, my lips had traveled up his neck, across his jaw, over his chin to his mouth. I pulled back and looked him in the eyes. My teeth sunk into my bottom lip. My eyebrow raised. 

 

“What?” He smiled. I looked back to the hotel and up to about where our room was and then back to him. He grabbed my hand and we started running up the path. A giggle bubbled up my throat as we reached the side door. Joe held a finger up to his lips as we dashed past hotel rooms to the elevator. He pushed the call button several times. Finally, with a ding, the doors opened. I pushed him in. He reached for the button to our floor, leaned against the wall, and sank to the handrail. His knees splayed slightly as his hands found their way to my hips. They traveled over the curve of my ass before abruptly pulling me closer. My palms landed on his chest. I bent my knee and dragged it up his inner thigh. A soft moan parted his lips. My mouth smothered the next one before it escaped. His hands held me tighter against him. 

 

“Tenth floor,” an innocuous voice announced. Joe stood up straight, adjusted himself and his jacket, draped an arm around me, and walked through the open door. 

 

We got to the door of our room. His arm guided me between his body and the door. His breath was hot on the back of my neck. My hand pressed into the door. Fingertips traced down the neckline of my dress. His palm flattened out over my breast, slid down to my ribs, then down my side to my hip. His other hand reached for the hem of my dress. “I am going to open this door,” he said slowly. His fingers touched the bare skin of my upper thigh. My chest rose with a ragged breath as he inched closer to my midline. “I am going to get you out of this dress.” His other hand pressed against my stomach. I pushed back into his groin. I could feel the strain against his zipper. My hands reached back to his ass. My head rolled back onto his shoulder. His lips were at my earlobe. “Then I am going to make you wiggle.” His finger ran along the edge of my panties. “And squirm.” His index finger slowly traveled over the lacey fabric covering my core. I squeezed my eyes shut and licked my lips. “And make you cum until your toes curl.”

 

I pressed a little more firmly into him. He groaned through his teeth. I turned in the tiny space between him and the door. I tilted my head up toward him and leaned in. I pressed my breasts into his chest. “The door’s still closed.” My tongue darted out and teased his upper lip. He produced the key from his jacket pocket. My hand reached between us. “Take that key,” I yanked him closer to me; we crashed into the door. His breaths feathered my cheek in rapid succession “And slide it in.” He fumbled the key in the lock while my hand slid down the length of his zipper. “Then pull it out...” I took the key from the lock. Joe twisted the handle on the door and pushed it open. He grabbed me by the waist before I could fall backward. His lips crashed down on mine as he lifted me up. His legs crossed the threshold as mine wrapped around him.

 

He deposited me on the edge of the table top between two chairs. His fingers searched to find the zipper of my dress. “Fuck it,” he exhaled sharply. His hands grabbed the hem and pulled my dress over my head. It sailed to another part of the room with a fling. My bra went next. I leaned back on my elbows. He stood and drank in the sight for a moment. His hand reached out to gently caress my face. It slid down my neck, over my collarbone, around the swell of my breast, then down the length of my side. He continued along my hip and thigh. He reached around his waist to unhinge my leg. I straightened it out before I drew it up between us. My calf came to rest gently on his chest. 

 

Joe rolled his neck from side to side and forced out a breath. My other leg loosened around his waist and slid down the back of his thigh, until my heel slid behind his knee. My hips tilted further into him. I could feel his hardness between us. I rubbed my heel up and down the back of his leg a few more times just so my hips would shift back and forth against him. One of his hands gripped just below the knee of my straightened leg. He held my leg away from his chest. His lips brushed the the skin just above my ankle. His tongue slid down the contour of my calf. He turned my leg ever so slightly and devoured the tender skin on the back of my knee. The air rushed out of my lungs with a light, “Ahhhhhh.” His fingers continued the trek down my thigh, skipping right over my hip and tugged at the lace band of my panties. My bent leg moved around to join the straightened one. I lifted my hips off the table so he could more easily remove the only thing between him and my heat. 

 

He took his time sliding my underwear up my legs, trailing kisses up the backs of my legs. Once the flimsy garment was cast aside, my high heeled feet found their way to the tabletop. My knees fell inward, toward each other.  Our eyes locked on each other. I watched his eyes move up and down my body, as if planning his next move. He placed his hands on my knees and pushed them apart. His body slid between my thighs as his mouth dropped just below my belly button.  His lips did not touch me. He just hovered. Breathing. He slid further and further down until he was millimeters from what we both wanted. 

 

It started with a kiss just slightly off from where I anticipated. Then a flick of his tongue. A ripple of euphoria traveled through me. “Yes,” I encouraged. He continued kissing and licking and flicking and fingering until I was breathlessly screaming his name.  I slid my feet underneath me and pushed up onto my knees. From this vantage point, I could look him in the eye. I grabbed his tie and pulled his face to mine. I covered him in a slew of greedy kisses.  I quickly unknotted his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. His bare chest became a canvas to bathe anew in adoration. 

 

My hands ambled along his torso. I unceremoniously unbuckled his belt, released the fastener of his pants, and had started to slide down his zipper when his hand was on my hand. His head swayed from side to side. “What did I say?”

 

I crossed my arms over my chest and drew a finger up to my mouth. “Hmmmmm... What did you say? “ I squinted an eye and twisted my mouth. “You’ve said so many things... And you’ve not said a lot of things...” I went back to his zipper. His pants fell to the ground. He stepped out of them and his shoes. His hands landed on the top of my knees as he pushed his thighs into the table. His fingers glided up my thighs and scratched their way back down. He pushed my knees apart. My back arched as I sucked a breath in between my teeth. I came up off my heels and leaned toward him. My tits were in his face. His hands roamed over my hip. He grabbed a handful of ass on his way up to my back. His tongue swept along the fullness of my breast. My hands grappled his back. “I want you... now.” My words were part statement, part plea. 

 

He rumbled something unintelligible. His hands came up to the sides of my face. His mouth was on mine with a fervor. The pressure of his kiss pushed me back on my heels. His hands came back to my hips. He abruptly pulled me toward him and lifted me off the table. My thighs and calves squeezed his sides as he continued to kiss me. He sat down in the chair, my legs unfolded to the floor. I laced my fingers behind his neck. He was hard. So hard. I couldn’t contain my response.  My fingers instantly went to free him from the only thing left between us. “Is that what you want?”  I nodded. “Tell me.”

 

“I want to feel you inside me,” I panted. I pressed my weight into my toes and raised slightly off his lap to gain better access to what I was after.

 

Two of his fingers slid into me. “Like that?” He suggested. He quickly found the magic combination of thrusts and massaging that felt so good. 

 

“No.” The words expelled from my mouth. My hand wrapped around his dick. “This. I want this inside me. I want to slip and slide on your rock hard cock until you want to explode.” 

 

“You first.” His fingers were quickly replaced by his tip. 

 

I slowly sank down on him. “Ok. Me first.” 

  
  
  


When I opened my eyes the next morning, Joe was staring at me. His fingers were toying with the ends of my hair. “Hi,” I whispered.

 

“Hi.”

 

“You smell like sex.”

 

He pinned me down, “So do you.”

 

“You were amazing last night.”  I patted his ass.  His fingers danced along my side. His lips pressed against the column of my throat. “And this morning.”

 

“Let’s stay in bed today and do that again...” He hinted.

 

“Nope.” I wiggled out from under him with a giggle. 

 

“Nope?” 

 

“Nope. I am going to get up and take a quick shower...And then I’m going to give you 45 minutes.” I peeled my way out of bed and started for the bathroom.

 

“What happens in 45 minutes?”

 

“You are going to meet me in the lobby.”

 

“And then?”

 

I sauntered back over to him and kissed his cheek. “It’s a secret.” I ran to the bathroom door and quickly closed it to get ready. 

 

Once I was certain Joe was getting ready, I threw a few things in a bag and made my way to the lobby. I sat down in the chair at the Holoholo desk and reviewed the itinerary for the day. We weren’t really on a time schedule. It was more of a listing of places we were going to see. I verified each location was listed in my phone’s map app. My eyes kept shifting between the time and the lobby. I stood up and slipped my phone into my pocket when I saw Joe’s head above the mix of people in the lobby. I smiled as he looked for me. I cheated my way around the guests until I was right behind him. I reached up over his shoulders and covered his eyes. He laughed as his arms came back around me. 

 

“Turn to your right.” I instructed. He turned. “Walk forward.” He obliged. I guided him to the entryway. Ok... Stop.” He halted.  I waited for a moment before I ceremoniously uncovered his eyes. “Ta da!” Parked in the shade of the porte cochere sat a bright red motorcycle with shiny chrome accents.

 

Joe’s eyes widened for a moment. “You didn’t...” 

 

“Buy it?! NO! I just rented it.” He walked over it the bike and just stared at it. Davin brought helmets over to me and nodded approvingly before he disappeared. “Do you want to go somewhere or would you rather stare at it all day.” 

 

He looked back at me with a smile as I offered his helmet. He sidestepped the helmet and closed the gap between us. His palms pressed against my cheeks. “Thank you,” he breathed moments before he planted the mother of all kisses on my lips. He stepped back, dropped his hands, and grabbed his helmet. He hopped on the bike and slapped on his helmet. He looked at me and patted the space behind him. I ran over and threw my leg over the bike, fastened my helmet, and wrapped my arms around him tightly. “Where to first?”

 

“BREAKFAST!” 

 

There was no better way to spend the day. There was no better way to see the sights and sounds and tastes of Oahu. I was content on the back of that motorcycle. My inner thighs squeezed his outer thighs. My arms looped around him. The mid-section of his tee shirt was crumpled between my fingers. The bike revved beneath us. I smiled as we sped up. His hand dropped down and squeezed my leg. “Where to next?” Joe asked. 

 

“Keep going. I’ll tell you when to turn... eventually, it will be a left.”  _ Bluetooth helmets are freaking awesome! _

 

“You really aren’t going to tell me where we’re going...”

 

I giggled. “Nope.” My grip loosened to his sides. My legs squeezed a little tighter as I leaned back a little. We made our way to the Windward side of the island. The highway narrowed to byways and two-laned streets that took us north. Sand, surf, and vegetation blurred by in streaks of blues, greens, and beige. Plumeria plants turned into broad banyan trees turned into tall palm trees. Towns turned to lush, green hills. The sun bathed everything in a white glow then ducked behind picture perfect clouds. Joe opened up the throttle as the road stretched between towns. We traveled around the northernmost tip of the island. Finally, I told him to turn off the road at a sign for the Waimea Valley. We followed the winding road to the parking lot.

 

He brought the bike to a stop and turned off the engine. I pulled my hands away from his body slowly. I slid a little further back on the seat. His helmet was off and he was standing in a blink. I unfastened my helmet and shook out my hair while Joe looked around. On one side, there was a restored temple to a native deity surrounded by trees and dense vegetation. “I’m not sure if I should be watching out for velociraptors or smoke monsters,” he stated.

 

I dug out two pairs of sunglasses from the backpack and slid one on. “Maybe both.” I handed him the other pair.

 

“Ha ha... Maybe both.” he mocked.

 

The shrill call of a peacock cut through the humid air. We both jumped. I started laughing then I grabbed his hand. We followed the path to the main entrance. Pavement criss-crossed patches of grass. Lush foliage lined the paths. Narrower trails spider-webbed off to the left and right. The path widened into a large meadow. “Bah-duh-duh-da-dum; bah-duh-duh-da-dum,” I loudly sung the theme to  _ Jurassic Park _ . Joe pulled his elbows to his sides. His arms were bent at the wrists. His fingers curled to mock-talons. His head cocked to one side. With a screech, he stalked past me into the grass. I laughed out loud. He stopped his gait and craned his head as far as he could in one direction to look at me. Another giggle bubbled to the surface. He raised his right leg and took a deliberate step toward me. He crouched a little lower. His wrists and fingers flexed and stretched like a claw. Eyes still locked on me. His mouth opened again to let out another dino-scream. He was slow and deliberate with each move. He started stepping toward me. I countered. His steps were getting shorter and faster. I cut to the side of him and started running with a peal of laughter. A few people popped out from the various gardens bordering the meadow to investigate the screams. Several stopped along the main path. For a moment I swore I could actually hear the  _ Jurassic Park _ theme playing. People were pointing and laughing as we played. 

 

I crossed the halfway point of the grass. “Oh NO!  Oh GOD!  I’m falling! Heeeellllllpppp!” I yelled before throwing down an NBA-worthy flop.  Joe kept running at me. I rolled onto my back and pretended to scoot away from him. Still playing the part of the dino, he bent over trying to claw at my foot. He came down on his knees. I stopped backing away. His head dropped to my thigh. With his elbows still tucked against his sides, his head moved from side to side in an attempt to bite. “Do you have a big head and little arms?” I howled as he crawled closer to my head.

 

His head popped up with a sly grin, “You’re half right,” he winked. He pulled back for a moment before his mouth and eyes opened wide. He roared over me then dove down to my neck. He made sounds like an animal devouring prey. I wiggled and giggled and squealed until I could barely breathe. By the time the giggles and the growls stopped, Joe was practically laying on top of me. The would-be onlookers had already gone back to their own adventures. I shifted, being suddenly aware of the backpack underneath me. A can of sunscreen uncomfortably made its presence known.

 

“Should we continue on with whatever it is we are doing here?” He asked as he rolled to a seated position.

 

I sat up and pulled the pack from my back. I dug my hand in and brought out the blue and silver spray can. “Yes, but first...” I shook the can at him. He reached his hand out to grab mine. In a swift, fluid motion, I was not only on my feet but in his arms and pressed to his body. My brain clicked into a dancey place for a moment.  I detached myself from him. “Do that again.”

 

“Do what again?” He asked.

 

I tossed the spray can and the backpack to the side. “The thing. The thing we just did. The thing where you just pulled me up.”

 

“Ok.” I could see skepticism wash over his face.

 

“Just do what you did a minute ago.” I plopped down on the grass.

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

“I’m gonna do mostly what I just did...”

 

“Mostly?”

 

“Yes. Mostly. But with a little less standing.” Joe stepped back and put his hands on his hips. “Don’t give me that look. You have picked me up more times than I can count.”

 

“So I will be picking you up?”

 

“Yes.” I stood back up in front of him. I placed my hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. “Ok?”

 

“Come here often?” he laughed. 

 

I dropped my chin as I snickered. “I deserved that.” 

 

He pressed a kiss into the middle of my forehead. “Now what are we doing?”

 

“I’m gonna jump and you’re gonna catch me. Well... I’m gonna jump and you’re gonna stand there while I wrap my legs around you.”

 

“HOLLY! You dirty, dirty girl!  Right here out in the open?!” His eyebrows wagged up and down at me.

 

“Oh. God. Yes!” I returned loud enough to be heard by passersby. “I just want to wrap my legs around you!” My hands pressed into the back of his neck before I bounced on my toes and popped up. My legs shot out to the sides then gently wrapped around his waist. “See? Easy.” I got back to my feet. “Just try it one time... please?”

 

“Ok. Ok. But only because I don’t want you to beg...” Joe gave me a little push back to the grass, “here.” He finished with a wink. I smirked back at him. I settled into my spot and reached out my hand. He wiped his hands on his shorts. “Ready?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Ok.” He brusquely exhaled.

 

“Babe, you got this.” He nodded at me. “Just grab, pull, and catch. That’s all you have to do.”

 

“Grab, pull, and catch. Ok.”

 

“Don’t over-think it.” He nodded again. He exhaled again. Just as I was starting to get frustrated, he reached for my hand. He pulled. I pushed into the grass and launched myself towards him. And in half a second, my legs were again around him. “Do I get to say ‘I told you so’ now?” I breathed into his ear.  I felt his cheek tighten as I brushed a kiss along his jaw. I leaned back in his arms. “Wanna put me down now and take off your shirt?”

 

His eyebrow raised at me. “No. Yes.” I scrunched up my face at him while I thought for a moment. My hands dropped from around his neck to along his waist. I yanked at his shirt and pulled it up to his armpits. I squeezed my legs tighter around him.

 

“Arms up,” I told him. His hands came away from me and up into the air. I shimmied his shirt the rest of the way off. 

 

“Now what?” 

 

“First sunscreen. And then we’ll do what we came here for.” 

 

“What DID we come here to do?!”

 

“Tut. tut, tut, my love.” I smacked a kiss on his face. I hopped down and grabbed the silver and blue can I had tossed aside. A fine mist of sunscreen created a sheen over one shoulder. I heard the air rush from his lungs. “Sorry... it’s cold.” The spray continued down his back and legs and over the other shoulder as I walked around him. I stopped in front of him. I drew a sunscreen asterisk on his chest. I placed the can in his hand. I lifted my shirt to reveal a pink and purple striped bikini top. A wide smile stretched across his face. “I don’t think I like that look...” He wagged his eyebrows at me. The can hissed as he pointed the nozzle to his chest until sunscreen was running down his stomach. Joe grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together. He pulled my hands and arms behind my back then pressed his slippery bare skin against mine. Laughter burbled from me as our stomachs slid over each others. “What about my back?” I screamed as he shook the can behind me and sprayed.

 

“Not so funny now, is it!”Joe picked up the pack, stuffed our shirts and the can in it before he slung it over his shoulder. He held his hand out to me. “Lead the way.”

 

Hand in hand, we finished the quarter mile left in our trek. “Stop for a minute, please.” I asked as we approached a restroom. I opened the backpack, still on his back and tossed a pair of swim trunks over his shoulder. “Go.” I smacked his ass and pushed him to change. He came back a few minutes later. “Come on!” I bounced up and down excited to see what was just around the ahead. “Come on!” I called once again and started to run. I could hear his footsteps behind me as we crossed a bridge. One more bend in the path and we were there. The path split. One was smooth concrete lined with benches. The other, turned into a dirt path with rocks that jutted out between grass and ended in a jade green pool of water. The pool was surrounded by hills covered in thick green foliage. Between the hills flowed a waterfall. I quickly tossed the backpack to the side and stepped out of my shorts. Joe’s head turned between me and the water a few times. “Let’s go.”

 

“Let’s go?”

 

“Yeah. Come on!” I scampered toward the water’s rocky edge. I checked in with the lifeguard. I gingerly stepped from rock to rock until I was ankle deep in cold water. I looked back at him. “Bae...” I walked further out into the water. “Babe...” The water came up to my hips. “BAY-BEH!!!!” I splashed at him from the chest-high water. He just smiled at me with one of those ear-to-ear, all-teeth smiles. He walked over to the lifeguard and said something before he grabbed a life vest off the rack. With great exaggeration, he faked a hair flip. His tongue darted out over his bottom lip. I laughed. He took one step toward me and thrust his arm through one side of the vest. His eyebrows wiggled up and down. “Owww!” I catcalled. Another step... the other arm went in. He ran his hands over his bare chest. “Ooh baby!” One more step...The top buckle clasped together. Step... clasp. Step... clasp. 

 

“Fuck! That is cold water!” He sharply exhaled as he inched closer and closer.

 

“Wait til you’re balls’ deep,” I giggled.

 

“You think that’s funny?” 

 

“Funnier than you will.” Joe kept taking little steps toward me, pausing here and there. “Oh my god! Would you just get in here already!?” He turned around. His arms stretched out to the side. And he just fell backwards. A tiny wave of water surged and slapped my chest.I grabbed the shoulders of his life vest and kissed the top of his head before I started pulling him farther out into the water. It wasn’t long before the bottom dropped out from beneath my feet. I gave a few kicks out into the deeper water before I let go of Joe and submerged myself. I resurfaced about 10 feet away from him. As I treaded water, every third or fourth kick took me a little further away.

 

“So how deep do you think it gets?’ He asked as he still floated on his back. I didn’t answer. I sank back below the surface. “Hol?” He sat up quickly and spun around to look for me. “Holly?”

 

I swam up behind him, but not too close. My head popped up. “Um... 30-ish feet... I guess.” I said quietly.

 

“Jesus Christ!” He exhaled as he turned to me. I giggled. He grabbed me by the waist. I screamed. “Hold on.” I held on to his life vest and wrapped my legs around him. His legs lazily kicked back and forth. One hand reached up to the top of my head. His fingers smoothed over my hair. I tilted my head into his palm. He placed a light kiss on my lips. “Where to now?” I pointed back to the waterfall. “Other side.” I let go of the front of his vest and went to the back. He swam closer to the  rocks. “Motorcycles... Swimming in waterfalls... what else do you have up your sleeves for today?” 

 

“Considering it isn’t even noon yet... Stuff...” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Love Me Like You Do" performed by Ellie Goulding; 2015. Written by Savan Kotecha, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Tove Lo, Max Martin and Ali Payami.


	15. Gravity

_ Set me free, leave me be _

_ I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity _

_ Here I am, and I stand _

_ So tall, just the way I'm supposed to be _

_ But you're on to me and all over me _

 

“I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, I’ll be there.” Joe ended the call and dropped his phone on the bed. It was the next day. Reminders of going back to real life reared their ugly heads.

 

I leaned up against the doorway and watched him. He pushed a few things around in his suitcase before he pushed it aside with a huff.  “Rough day at the office, Dear?” He sat down and reached out for me with the most pathetic pout I had ever seen. “Wanna tell me about it?” I stepped in front of him. 

 

His arms draped around my waist. He shook his head. “It’s nothing... I’ve got a laundry list of things to do when I get back.” I blinked at him a few times. “Just the business part of show business.” A few more blinks. “And family.” With a deep sigh, his hands found the small of my back as his face buried into my stomach.

 

“Is that all?” I teased.

 

“Mmmrrrrppphhuurrrnnpppterrrrrt,” his response muffled in my shirt. 

 

“Want to try again?” I giggled. “I didn’t quite get that.”

 

His head tilted back to look up at me. “I don’t like this part.” He repeated.

 

“Which part? Is it the packing?” I teased. “Because I'm pretty sure you enjoy this part.” I lifted my shirt up a little bit. He yanked the whole thing out before his fingers stretched out against my belly. His nose swiped just below my belly button. His stubble gently scraped as his lips pressed into me. His cheek came to rest on my hip. 

 

“I don’t like the part where I have to leave and you’re not going with me.”

 

I placed my hands on his shoulders and pushed him back. “Hush now.” I brought my right knee up, slid it over his thigh, and rested it on the bed beside him. My left knee followed. I slowly sank into his lap. I hugged him for a moment before I grabbed his face and looked him in the eye. “I’m pretty sure we have spent more together here than we ever have.” I kissed his right cheek. “Am I sad that when I go to sleep tonight, you will be on a plane halfway to New York, and not beside me? Yeah, I am.” I kissed his lips. “But then I will lay here and think about the amazing memories we have made here.” I pushed him back onto the mattress. “So we are not going to do this. We are not going to get mopey or angsty because we have to adult.”

 

Joe shoved his suitcase off the bed. He flipped us over and kissed me, “How can you be so beautiful and so sexy and so amazing and so smart and love me?”

“You’re just lucky, I guess.” His fingertips brushed the curve of my face.

 

“Yes... I... Am.” He said between kisses. I wiggled my legs out from under his weight. My hands searched for the edge of his shirt and were rewarded by the warm, smooth skin of his back. He shifted his weight to one hand then grabbed the neck of his shirt and removed it. My hands instinctively went to his chest. Fingertips traipsed over his sternum, danced over his collarbones, and reached up to his neck. I pulled his face down closer to mine. My eyes darted between his eyes and his mouth until there was scarcely a breath between us. My tongue flicked out and teased his upper lip until he opened his mouth. His lips slightly skimmed over mine. I quickly pushed him off me and with a turn, I was straddling him. The friction of his five-o’clock shadow stung like tiny needles as I hastily kissed his face. His Adam’s apple bobbed as my tongue glided over it. I zigged and zagged over his neck and chest as I slid further and further down the length of his body. I did not wait for approval. There was no coy glance to see if he wanted me to continue. My fingers knew the steps to get him out of his pants. My mouth knew the tricks to get him out of his mind. He was ready and waiting to be licked and sucked and drained. I was happy to oblige.

 

“I certainly did not deserve that,” he stated well after the fact.

 

“Consider it a thank you for the other night.” I repositioned myself beside him.

 

He rolled on to his side and smiled “The other night...” I touched his face. His scruffy jawline rubbed back and forth in my palm. My mind wandered, mixing the sensation in my hand with my explicit memory. My thumb skimmed his lower lip. His lips puckered against soft pad of skin. He grabbed my hand and pressed his thumb into my palm. His mouth moved to my index finger. His tongue dampened my fingertip and traced his lip back and forth. His mouth opened just enough to slide my finger up to my first knuckle.  My cheek dimpled with a half smile as I bit down on my lip. I closed my eyes and slowly inhaled. “I like where your mind is going,“ he whispered in my ear. A shiver ran through my entire body.

 

“And just where is that?”

 

“My face between your thighs,” his voice was so husky and ladened with desire. My breath quavered. His prickly cheek slid along my neck. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips together. “Like that?” He asked into my shoulder.

 

“Yes,” I barely breathed.

 

“How much?”

 

“How much time have you got?”

 

“Not nearly enough.” Joe growled. He rolled over and looked at the clock on the bedside table.

 

“We’ve got plenty of time before we have to go to the airport.” He stared at the clock a little too long before he looked back at me. His expression told me I was not going to like the next words that came out of his mouth.

 

“Holly, we aren’t going to the airport.” He said a bit hesitantly.

 

I could feel my face contort. “What are you talking about? Of course WE are going to the airport.”

 

“No, you aren’t.”

 

“Why not?” He slid off the bed and went to his suitcase. It was on its side on the floor; the contents spilling out. My ayre rose faster with every passing second he didn’t answer the question. “So that’s it. That’s the whole conversation? You just get to decide how it’s going to be?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Yes? YES!? You are fucking kidding, right? I spent half my day dropping people off at the airport and you’re telling me that I don’t get to take you!” I threw my hands up. “Fine!” I got up and stalked towards the bathroom “Go!” I shouted back as I slammed the door. He walked in steps behind me.

 

“God damn it, Holly! What happened to not getting angsty’?” He crossed the space between us and stood toe to toe with me.

 

“I’m not angsty about saying good bye. I’m pissed because you decided where we get to say goodbye.”

 

“You just assumed where it was going to happen. In your mind, it was decided it we would say goodbye at the airport. How is that different?”

 

“It...”  _ Well shit.  _ “It...”  _ He’s right. I’m mad because it’s different from how I thought it should be.  _ “Fuck.” His hand circled around my wrist. He tugged me toward the vanity and pressed me against the edge.

 

“You are so stubborn.”

 

“Yes, I am,” I pouted. “I’m not good with this stuff. I’m sorry.” I butted the top of my head into his chest.

 

“I’m not really good with it either.” He laced his fingers around the back of my neck. His head drooped to the top of mine. We stood wordlessly for minutes. “Can I tell you why I don’t want you to take me?” He finally spoke. “I mean... It’s not that I don’t want you to take me... I do. But I have to get on that plane. And I know that if you and I are standing in that airport, I will have to give you a hug and a kiss and walk away.” I looked up at him. “I know I will look back at you, and you’ll be standing there with this brave smile on your face. You’ll wave, and blow me a kiss, I’ll pretend to catch it and blow one back to you. I will drop my bag and come running back. I will wrap you up in my arms and kiss you. My resolve will completely disappear and I won’t go. Because if I could, I would find a little place somewhere on this island just for us. Somewhere we can disappear from the rest of the world. A place where tomorrow...” A tinge of pink crept into that space just above his cheeks. His eyes looked glassy. He took a deep breath. His hands swept across his face before falling to his sides. 

 

“It’s cute you think I would blow you a kiss from across the airport.” I started laughing.

 

“Well you would! Wouldn’t you?” He was a mix of confidence and confusion.

 

“Of course I would, but that’s entirely beside the point.” A smile started to spread across his face. “Don’t even think about it.” I grabbed his wrists before he could tickle me. “You should probably finish packing.” I placed a lingering kiss on his cheek before I walked away.

 

An hour later, I had showered and changed into a strappy sundress. He was packed and ready to go. The car was waiting. We stood on the lanai overlooking the Waikoloa Valley. Joe stood behind me. His chin perched on my shoulder. His arms wrapped around me. His hands rested on the railing in front of me. My hands sat on top of his. My fingers slipped into the spaces between his. The sun was creeping lower and lower in the sky. “I’m going to stand here until the last sliver of sun melts into the ocean.” I squeezed his hands. “And then I’m going to kiss you.” He nuzzled into my neck. “And then I’m going to go. Promise me you will stay right here looking out at the ocean.”

 

My head tilted toward his. “I promise” I whispered.

 

We stood motionless and silent as the sky layered itself in shades of orange, pink, red, blue, and purple. It only took a few minutes. He stood straight up. I turned in his arms. I rose on my tip toes and lightly kissed his lips. I sank back into my heels as one of his arms encircled me. His free hand slipped to the side of my face. His gaze pierced through me. “I love you, Holly.” He squeezed me tighter as he pressed me further into the railing. His kiss consumed me as it ended just as quickly as it began. His hold on me loosened.

 

I turned back around as I promised I would. He put one more kiss on the back of my neck before he turned away. The breeze he had been shielding me from ruffled my dress. I shivered. “I love you, too.” I said with a quickly glance over my shoulder. I caught him taking a step toward the door before I snapped back around - just in case he looked back.

 

I stood there scanning the lower level for a few minutes until I was sure he was gone. Right on cue, my phone buzzed from the pocket of my dress. I immediately clicked open my messages. It was a selfie of Joe. In the background, you could see me looking back at him. The caption read, “Busted.” I laughed for a moment. My phone buzzed again. “I miss you, too.”  I snapped a photo making a fish face and sent it back.

 

I turned back to the lobby to find Ke’Alohi. I walked toward him. “I would like to grab something to eat.” He nodded. I headed for the stairs. He stayed a few steps away. “You don’t have to stay behind me,” I said after a few steps. My phone buzzed again. Once I reached the bottom of the stairs, I reached into my pocket. Another message from Joe. Another picture with a silly face. Donald Duck was posing for pictures at Makahiki. I walked just far enough that I could line up my face with Ke’Alohi and Donald. I snapped and sent.  

 

I strolled around the lazy river and the pool and made my way over to ‘Ama ‘Ama. “How’z it, Holly?” The greeter asked. 

 

“Hi,” I recognized her face immediately, but I had no idea what her name was without looking at her nametag, “Grace. It’s good. How’z it with you?”

 

“Where’s your loverboy?”

 

“Headed back to the mainland.” My phone buzzed again. Another picture. This one was at the airport with the TSA agent. “See?” I showed her the phone. She giggled. I opened up the camera again. “Do you mind?” She reached for the camera. “No no, take one with me!” 

 

“Oh. Yah sure.” We snapped and sent. “Now, what can I do for you?”

 

“I know it’s nowhere near breakfast time, but any chance I can get a loco moco?”

 

“Sure thing,” she smiled back. “You wanna table for you and your shadow?” She pointed at Ke’Alohi.

 

“No thank you. Any chance I can get it to go? Or maybe sent up to my room?”

 

“You got it.” She disappeared for a minute and returned with the check. It took a minute to fill it out. “It’ll be up there in about 20-30 minutes, is that ok?”

 

“Absolutely. Mahalo plenty, Grace.” We parted ways and I headed back to the room. 

 

Ke’Alohi followed me to the door. “I’m going to wait here until your dinner arrives.”

 

“You can wait inside, if you like.” I offered. With a nod, he came in. He turned one of the wingback chairs toward the door and sat down. “You good? I’m gonna make a couple calls.” I walked back to the bedroom and flopped down on the bed. I grabbed the phone from the bedside table and called down to the spa. Sunrise Yoga seemed like the best way to start tomorrow. And maybe a spa treatment before I hopped on a plane...My phone buzzed as I was waiting to be connected. This time he was on the plane. I snapped back a picture laying on the bed, phone receiver in hand, my hair fanned out around me.

 

As promised, my dinner arrived in 20 minutes. Ke’Alohi said good night after ushering out the room service attendant. After eating, I realized just how tired I was. It was time for bed, if yoga was going to happen. I took one more picture - the empty space where Joe had slept. “Miss you,” I captioned before turning off the light.

 

Moments later, my phone buzzed. I picked it up with a smile, anticipating what Joe may have sent back. My smile quickly vanished. The air in my lungs rushed out as if someone had punched me in the gut. I stared back at the screen in shock.  _ Who’s gonna save you now that he’s gone? _

 

My hands started shaking. The phone fell into the sheets. I pushed myself away from it as if it were on fire. I scrambled out of bed and ran to the front door. I looked through the peephole. No one was out there. I stepped back. The deadbolt and the latch were secured.  _ Breathe, Little Girl. _ I reminded myself. I sucked in a slow, deep, wavering breath. “Holly. You’re ok. You’re on the 10th floor. You’re locked in. He cannot get in here.” Breath. “Great. You’re talking to yourself. Out loud. Picture of sanity. Get ahold of yourself. He cannot hurt you any more. Think. What do you do? You gotta tell someone without freaking everyone out. MJ!” I ran back to the bedroom and fished my phone out of the covers.

 

“ZEUS!” Send. 

 

I stared at the screen waiting for a response. “On my way _. _ ”

 

The phone and I went back out to the dining room and waited. It wasn’t long before a knock came to the door. I checked the peephole. It was MJ. “What movie were you watching when I caught you crying after the Tinkerbell Half Marathon?” I yelled through the closed door.

 

“What? Holly, come open the door.” I could see him shift his weight to one foot.

 

“Answer the question.” Muffled words were returned. “I didn’t quite catch that.”

 

“The one with Reece With-or-Without-Her-Spoon and McDreamy and that other guy with the lightning glass.”

 

“Did you forget the name? Is that why you’re telling me who is in it?”

 

“Just open the door, Holly.”

 

“Say the name first.”

 

“SWEET HOME ALABAMA.”

 

I opened the door. “Thank you.”

 

He walked past me. “Now what’s going on?.”

 

I handed the phone to him with Matt’s message displayed. He raised his eyebrow at me. “What? I am telling someone about it. I am telling you. What can we do about it?”

 

“My first thought is to get you on the next flight out of here.” 

 

“But the meeting tomorrow.”

 

“Fuck the meeting, Holly. Skype in, if it’s really that important to you.” I started looking around the suite. “I can bring your stuff home. Just take what you need.” And if he was reading my mind, “And don’t worry about the cost to change your flight. No one will argue with your safety. Hell, I’m sure Al and Bill will pay the difference themselves if the expense report was refuted.”

 

“Ok.” I called down to the front desk. “Hi there, it’s Holly... Can you tell me when the next flight to LA departs?”

 

“Aloha Holly. Which airline?”

 

“Doesn’t matter, whatever flight has a seat.”

 

“I’m sorry. They’re all full until tomorrow morning.”

 

“Ok. Thanks.” I hung up the phone. “There isn’t anything available until the morning.” I texted Joe. “Change of plans. Taking an earlier flight home.”

 

“Everything ok?” Came back a couple minutes later. I briefly explained. “Are you ok?”

 

“Yeah. A little freaked out. I was trying to get the next flight out, but that won’t be until tomorrow morning.”

 

“Where is Ke’Alohi?”

 

“I sent him home for the day before this happened. He can’t be with me 24/7.”

 

“Yes, he can.”

 

“Joe. Stop. Please. This is not his fault. Even if he had been with me, it wouldn’t have stopped him from texting me.”

 

“How did he get your number?”

 

“It was on a call sheet for the show. Anyone could have gotten a hold of it. Babe, please. I don’t need you to freak out too. I am safe. I just need you to be wonderful and loving and distracting... Like earlier... when we were sending all the pictures. Can we just go back to that, please?”

 

“I love you,” he sent back. A picture followed - a sleep mask was pushed up to his forehead. He was over-exaggeratedly winking. 

 

“I love you too!” I sent back the same shot. “Pull that mask back down and go to sleep.”

 

“You sleep, I sleep.

 

I snapped a picture with the mask over my eyes. I wrapped my fingers around my phone and held it to my chest. With a sigh, I closed my eyes. Sleep would not come. I tossed and turned. Anxiety. It washed over me, through me. I forcefully exhaled. It burned from my throat to my stomach. My chest tightened. I inhaled again. Slow and even. I rolled over and curled up into child’s pose. I stretched my arms out ahead of me.  “Keep breathing.” I told myself. “Stretch. Let’s do some stretching. That usually helps.” I slid to the floor and went through the exercise. 

 

I heard the familiar buzz of my phone. “I’m guessing you can’t sleep. I know I can’t.” Joe’s words gleamed in the darkness of the room.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“I want to turn this plane around.”

 

“You can’t do that.”

 

“You’re right. I can’t. But I don’t really like this.”

 

“I know. I don’t either. It will be better when I get back home.”

 

“How can you be so sure?”

 

“I’m sure the moment I signed the contract for the show, my mother made sure he was on every list denying access to the studio.”

 

“True.”

 

“Babe. Please. Let’s not have this conversation again.”

 

“Ok.” There was a long pause between text messages. “Are you packed yet?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“Maybe that will distract you...”

 

“For about 5 minutes.”

 

“Try.” I put the phone down and turned on the lights. I started picking up anything that should go in my suitcase. 

 

“My bad, it took ten minutes.” I got back in bed.  “Babe, I’m going to try to sleep now. You should too.”   I wrapped my fingers around the phone and held it to my chest. My legs curled up and closed my eyes. 

 

I awoke at dawn’s first light. It was minutes before I was pulling my luggage into the living room. “MJ, can we go now?” The big lump of a man sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked at me with a nod. He stood up. I opened the door. Ke’Alohi stood on the other side. I let go of my bag and threw my arms around him. 

 

A hand touched the back of my head. An arm wrapped around my shoulders. “ E pakele Alii,” he whispered into my hair. “Let’s get you to the airport.” He unwrapped me and picked up my bag. MJ placed his hand in the middle of my back and gestured to go forward. 

 

I had taken the route to the airport more than 100 times. I knew it like the back of my hand. We parked the car. Both gentlemen walked with me as far as security would let them go... which wasn’t that far. MJ hugged me and kissed my forehead. Ke’Alohi handed me my carry on bag. “Be safe. Be smart.” MJ said. I waved at them once I was through the checkpoint. I grabbed a drip coffee from Starbucks. I checked the departure board and headed for the gate. I still had a solid 45 minutes before boarding. 

 

I took a seat at the gate nearest the counter. I took out my phone. “Make it to your meeting ok?” I texted Joe. I plugged in my headphones and nestled one in my ear. I turned on some random playlist of innocuous pop songs.

 

“Yep. Made it. Make it to the airport?”

 

“Yep.” We chit chatted back and forth as more people started to arrive. I sat up and took a look around. 

 

“Fifteen minutes until boarding,” a voice behind me said. The hairs stood up on my arm. I knew that voice all too well. “Looks like it’s going to be a full flight, too.” I could feel loose strands of hair twist around his finger.

 

“He’s here,” I texted. I swiped my thumb across the screen, then hit call.

 

“Please leave me alone.” I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and slowly inhaled. A hand wrapped around the back of my neck. A thumb grazed just below my ear. I shivered involuntarily. I could hear Joe on the other end of the phone. I covered the earpiece to block the sound of his voice.I opened my eyes. “Listen,” I said both to Matt and to Joe. I abruptly turned in my seat and broke his grasp. “I swear on all that you hold sacred and dear, if you touch me one more time, I will break your hand.” I spoke slowly and quietly.

 

“I’m a little surprised. I mean I figured you would change your flight, but I really thought they would have put you on a private plane... or at the very least, I didn’t think they would leave you alone.” I pushed myself out of my chair. I grabbed my bag and walked to the service representative at the nearest counter. 

 

“Aloha, how may I help you today?” He spoke.

 

“Do you see that man over my shoulder? I’m sure he’s watching us right now.” He nodded. “His name is Matthew Fields. Can you tell me what flight he is on?” 

 

“”Miss, I’m not permitted to give out that information.”

 

“He is my ex-boyfriend. I have a restraining order against him. He is...”

 

“Honey. Stop. This man has a job to do.” Matt sidled up beside me. He looked at the man at the counter. “I am so sorry. She gets confused sometimes. Especially when it’s early. I’m so sorry she’s interrupted your work.” Matt tried to move me from the counter.

 

I slammed my hand down. “LET GO OF ME!” I screamed. “I am not your Honey. I am not your Dear, your Love, or whatever other nickname you would like to give me!”

 

“Ma’am. There is no need to raise your voice. I will call security.” I wasn’t sure if the man behind the counter was making an offer or a threat.

 

“Good!  GO Ahead. Call them!” I turned and started to walk away.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“To the BATHROOM! You can have a security officer talk to me there... where he can’t go!” My steps started slowly, but I was practically at a full sprint in a second. I cordoned myself into a stall in the back of the restroom before I lifted the phone to my ear. “Joe?”

 

“Holly?! I’m here. I’m here. It’s ok. You’re ok.” I started crying. “Shhhh shh shhhhh. You’re ok. You did the right thing. It’s ok. I need you to stay put. Stay exactly where you are. Do you have the card for the detective at the police department?”

 

“Yeah, I think it’s in my wallet.”

 

“Call him. Do NOT leave that bathroom unless you are with a police officer or at the very least, airport security.”

 

“Ok.” I searched my purse for the card. I turned my bag upside down on the bathroom floor. I finally found it tucked between my driver’s license and my insurance card. My hands shook violently as I keyed the number into my phone. “Detective Hale, please.” I spoke to the desk sergeant. I was told the detective was not available. “Please let him know that Holly Carmichael called. I am currently stuck in a bathroom at Honolulu Airport because my stalker, abusive ex-boyfriend is at the gate. I am supposed to be boarding a plane in 10 minutes, but I can’t because I believe he is also on the same plane and the airline agent will not divulge if he is or isn’t for certain. He has already tried to harass me. So here I sit and wait for someone to escort me out before I can figure out how I am going to get home. I’m guessing if I don’t get on that plane, neither will he.”

 

“Holly. Honey.” I could hear Matt calling me from outside. “Come on out, Darling. There’s no need to make a scene.”

 

“I AM NOT THE ONE MAKING A SCENE.” I yelled back from my assumed safe place.

 

“Aw. Baby. Come on. I can’t fix it if you don’t come out and talk to me.”

 

“THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU TO FIX. YOU AREN’T MY BOYFRIEND. HELL! YOU AREN’T EVEN MY FRIEND. WE ARE NOT TOGETHER. JUST GET ON THE DAMN PLANE, MATT SO I CAN GO BACK TO MY NORMAL LIFE. A LIFE WITHOUT YOU IN IT!”

 

“Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to step away from the restroom now,” I heard a woman talking to Matt. I heard indistinct chatter for a moment or two longer. “Miss? Miss Carmichael?”

 

“Back here,” I said from my spot. I was not about to move.

 

“My name is Officer Lana Kelly. I’m with the airport police. May I talk to you?” She walked closer.

“May I see your badge and credentials, please?” I poked out from the far side of the restroom.

 

Officer Kelly’s badge shone from her vest. She unclipped her id from her belt and held it up. I nodded to her. “Can you tell me what’s going on here? DId you and your boyfriend have a fight?”

 

“He is NOT my boyfriend.” I stated as anger and anxiety started to burn in my chest. 

 

“Ok. He’s not your boyfriend.”

 

“He is my EX-boyfriend. His name is Matthew Alexander Fields. I have a restraining order against him, issued by the state of California. I have contacted Detective Hale from HPD. A few days ago, there was an attempted break-in where I was staying at Coconut Plantation. The neighbor that called it in described that man standing out there. Detective Hale told me to call him if there were any other incidents. Detective Hale wasn’t available, I left a message.”

 

“I see. Miss, may I escort you somewhere a bit more comfortable while we figure this all out?”

 

“I’m not sure what there is to sort out at the moment, because I sure as hell am not getting on a plane if he is also a passenger on it.”

 

“I am not asking you to do that.”

 

“Ok. Good.”

 

“Are you travelling with anyone else?” 

 

“No.”

 

“Is this all of your luggage?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“May I have my partner come get it?”

 

“No thank you, I can manage.” I gathered my things.

 

“Please follow me.”

 

“May I meet your partner first?”

 

“Sure.” She walked out of my line of sight for a moment. “Miss Carmichael, this is Officer Hoapili. Officer Hoapili, Miss Carmichael.”

 

I looked at the badge on his chest and scanned the id he wore around his neck. “Hello.”

 

“Ok? Will you please follow me now?” Officer Kelly asked. I nodded. She started to walk. I started to walk. Officer Hoapili followed behind me. Though I did not turn to look at him, I could hear Matt calling my name. Two other officers tried to block him. He broke past them and ran toward me. I immediately got behind Office Hoapili. I gripped the handles of my bags so tightly, I could feel my fingernails digging into the palms of my hands. 

 

“Please don’t let him near me,” I spoke quietly but clearly.

 

“I won’t,” Officer Hoapili said over his shoulder. His arms extended out and back, providing a cocoon around me.

 

The two officers Matt had slipped caught up to him. “Sir, we need you to come back over here and answer some questions.”

 

“I have nothing to say to you.” He spat out at them. 

 

“Come on,” Office Kelly said quietly to me as she took me by the arm. “Let’s get you out of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Gravity" written and performed by Sara Bareilles; 2007


	16. Leavin'

_ Why don't you tell him that I'm leavin' never lookin back again _

_ You found somebody who does it better than he can _

_ No more making you cry _

_ No more them gray skies _

_ Girl we flying on a g-5, g-5 _

 

“Is there someone you need to call, Miss Carmichael?” Officer Hoapili asked as I squeezed my phone in my hand. 

 

They had taken me to an empty First Class lounge at the other end of the terminal. “Um. No. I already called Detective Hale and my boyfriend.”

 

“What about your parents?”

 

“No need to worry them right now.”

 

“It seems to me you spend more time worrying about worrying other people when you need to be letting other people worry about you.” Detective Hale said as he walked in.

 

“No, Sir. Not this time. I had Joe on the phone with me until I got somewhere Matt couldn’t go. I called you. I asked for both officers’ identification before I went anywhere with them.”

 

“They’re your parents.” Officer Kelly stated

 

“And what good will it do? What can they do but worry and wait? I need to figure out how I’m going to get home first and then I can update those in need of updates.” 

 

“Ok. What do you want to do about Matt?” Detective Hale asked. “Do you want to press charges?”

 

“For what exactly? Harassing me? Freaking me out?”

 

“Violating a restraining order.”

 

“If I had a had a copy of it with me, sure. But I don’t. I didn’t bring one. I didn’t think I’d need it. And it would be days before I could get another one.” I sighed heavily.  “The way I see it is you have two options. 1) You put him on a plane while I wait for another one. Or 2) You hold him wherever you want to hold him until you are certain I am on a plane. Though with option 1, if our planes land at the same airport, it would be easy to imagine he would wait for me to come in on a later flight.”

 

“He wouldn’t know which one,” Office Hoapili said.

 

“It wouldn’t matter to him. He didn’t know which plane I was getting on today, but he was here... waiting.”

 

“True.”

 

“So it sounds like the best thing to do is hold him until we know you have made it back to the Mainland, then put him on a plane.” Officer Hale spoke to the officers. They nodded. 

 

My phone started buzzing in my hand. “Hi Babe,” I answered. 

 

“Did you get ahold of the Detective? Is he there?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Let me talk to him.”

 

“It’s for you,” I grimaced as I handed the phone over. The Detective took a few steps away from me. I watched as he paced, nodded, and occasionally responded in single syllables. 

 

A few minutes later he came back to me. “And now it’s for you.” He handed back the phone.

 

I held the device to my ear and before I could even get a word out, Joe started to talk. “Honey. I need you to do me a favor. I need you to trust me. I need you to go with Detective Hale. I need you to not ask any questions, just do as he says.”

 

“That sounds like four favors.”

 

“Please don’t argue.”

 

“I trust you.”

 

“Thank you. I promise you are going to get home safely.”

 

“I believe you.”

 

Detective Hale spoke privately with Officers Kelly and Hoapili. He turned back to me. “Ready to go?” I nodded. He took my bag from me and led me out of the lounge. We headed away from the terminal altogether and back out to the departure level. He opened the back door of his unmarked police vehicle for me to get in.

 

“What? No Impala? Aren’t you Five-0?””

 

“You’re just lucky I didn’t bring the Crown Vic.”  I laughed.

 

“I’m guessing you aren’t going to tell me anything, are you?”

 

“I’m guessing someone told you not to ask any questions, didn’t he?”

 

“Touche, Detective.” 

 

“May I at least come sit up in the front seat? I promise not to touch anything.”

 

“He laughed, “Yeah, come on.” I tried to open the back door but couldn’t. “Oh right.” He hopped out of the car, opened the back door then the front door. “Can I ask you something?”

 

“Sure,” I answered.

 

“How did you get into this? I mean you seem too smart to have been in this kind of situation.” We started driving from the central terminal to one of the charter airlines on the other side of the airport.

 

“Smart doesn’t really have anything to do with it, Detective. Keep in mind that Matt and I have known each other most of our lives. We were high school sweethearts. We made the leap to college together. He wasn’t always abusive. It wasn’t until the last couple years of our relationship. And it started with small dings to my confidence like asking ‘Are you wearing that?’ or apologizing to a bartender because my drink order wasn’t as simple as a beer or glass of wine. It wasn’t enough to notice at first. It was the same grasp around my waist that gradually dug in deeper.” He nodded. “By the time I really put it all together, I had been covering up bruises and lying to family and friends for months.”

 

“Looks like this might be your ride,” he stated as we neared a private jet. “Stay here.” Detective Hale got out of the car and checked in with the charter office. I watched him walk from the office to the plane. He disappeared inside for a moment. He came back out, grabbed my bag from the backseat, then opened my door. “Ok. I will send you a copy of my report for the break in as well as what happened at the airport today. Send a copy of the second report to the airline and they should refund at least part of your ticket.” He walked me to the stairway leading to the plane.

 

“Mahalo for everything, Detective. I really appreciate it.”

 

He wrapped his big arms around me. “You take care of yourself. I mean, I know you will. You’ve gotten this far.”

 

“I will.” He handed my bags to the flight attendant at the bottom of the stairs.

 

A large man stood at the top of the stairs. “You Holly?”

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

“Ok.” He walked back into the plane before I reached the last step. 

 

I was shown to a seat and quickly fastened my seatbelt. The seat in front of me swiveled around. “You must be my brother’s precious cargo.” The man in the chair unenthusiastically declared.

 

“Hi. I’m Holly,” I tried to be cheerful as I shoved my hand out between us.

 

“Don’t bother.” He turned back around.

 

I grabbed my phone and pulled up my texts to Joe.  _ I’m not asking questions. I’m not arguing. But I don’t think your brother likes me. _

 

_ That’s impossible.  _ He sent back.  _ Have you met you? There’s no way he wouldn’t like you. _

 

I made a face at the screen.  _ I tried to introduce myself and he turned away from me. Kind of a dick move. _

 

  1. _Well that’s true. He can be a dick. I’m sure it has much more to do with me than you. Don’t worry about it, Babe. Relax. Take a nap._



 

_ Right... Have YOU met me? I’m on a plane. Relax and nap are not in my vocabulary.  _

 

_ True. Check your seatbelt again. Plug in your earbuds. Turn on some music. And take a deep breath. I expect a phone call, not a text when you get to LA. _

 

_ Ok. Since I’m on the plane already, may I ask a question now? _

 

_ Sure. _

 

_ How did you get me a way home so quickly? _

 

_ That’s easy. He was already on the island. _

 

_ What do you mean he was already on the island? _

 

_ He was filming. _

 

_ So the whole time were were here, he was here. You could have seen your brother and you didn’t? _

 

_ Holly. Honey. He was working. I was working. _

 

_ You were working and I was working and we saw PLENTY of each other :P _

 

_ That was different. You know how filming schedules can be. _

 

_ Yes, yes, I do. But that’s no excuse. You should have at least tried to see your brother. _

 

_ How do you know I didn’t? _

 

_ I guess I figured you would have said something about it...  _ The plane pushed back and headed for the runway.  _ Ok. I’ll call you later. Love you. _ I popped my headphones in and closed my eyes. 

 

We had been in the air for about 30 minutes before the chair in front of me spun back around. I felt felt his eyes on me. “Are you going to talk to me or just stare?” I asked with my eyes still closed.

 

“I haven’t decided yet.” He responded. 

 

I opened one eye. “It’s rude to stare.”

 

“There are a lot of things that are rude.” He quipped. 

 

_ Indeed. Ok, Holly. He’s goading you. Don’t fall for it. Be the bigger person. _ I opened both eyes, straightened up in my seat, and cleared my throat. “I feel as though maybe we got off on the wrong foot. I’m Holly. Thank you for, uh, picking me up.” Again, he stared. He eyed me up and down. I took my headphones out. I placed my feet flat on the floor. I fixed my gaze on him.  I watched as he crossed his leg. His ankle rested on his knee. He shifted over to his left. His elbow came to rest on the armrest. His hand moved to his face. His thumb pressed into his cheek; index finger to his temple; middle finger to his chin. His eyes narrowed.

 

“Little Miss Magic.”

 

“The Jimmy Buffet song?”

 

“He says you make magic.”

 

“It’s kind of my job... Er, I guess it was my job. I’m kind of on hiatus from making magic for a bit.”

 

“On hiatus? Oh the dancing thing.”

 

“Yes. The dancing thing. Why do I feel like you know, or think you know, more about me than I know about you?”

 

“Because my brother doesn’t shut up about you. I doubt he talks about me as much.”

 

“That might be true.  Isn’t that song about a little girl?”

 

“I don’t even know the damn song.”

 

“That’s too bad, it’s a good song.”

 

“I’m sure it is.”

 

“You’re an artist. You really should give it a listen. Nobody’s saying you have to turn full Parrot Head, but Buffet’s got some good stuff. My oldest sister went through a Margaritaville phase.”

 

“I make you nervous. That’s why you’re talking so much,” he stated matter of factly.

 

“No,” I answered far too quickly. “Flying makes me nervous. You’re just a person, a person who hasn’t introduced himself. You don’t make me nervous.”

 

‘You know who I am, why should I introduce myself?”

 

“Yes, I know who you are but we’ve never met. You don’t know me. And they’re called manners.” A hint of a smile creased his cheek. “So. Wanna try this again?” I reached across the space between us. “I’m Holly.”

 

He chuckled and extended his hand. “I’m Nick.”

 

“See, that wasn’t so bad.” He sat back. “How long were you on the island?”

 

“Four weeks, give or take. Filming schedules can be a bit fickle.”

 

“Hmm. Yeah. Fickle. Not sure that’s the word I would go with, but it works.”

 

“What word would you use?”   
  


“Typically... Long. Admittedly, I’ve always been on the other side of production... the operational aspect. And maybe a bit temperamental with all the waiting and the lighting and the weather and the technical stuffs. Although, craft services makes up for a lot of the waiting game.” He shifted again with a smile. “How is it that you and your brother were on the same island for 3 weeks and you didn’t see each other?”

 

“We were busy. Working.”

 

“Funny, that’s what he said.”

 

“What does it matter to you?”

 

“I don’t know. I don’t get to see my sisters often, so if I had the opportunity, I’d at least meet for coffee or a drink or a run-by hugging.”

 

“Are you and your sisters close?”

 

“Yes,” I said definitely.

 

“Do they know what happened today?”

 

“I haven’t exactly had a chance to tell them all about how their baby sister hid out in a bathroom from her ex-boyfriend. An ex-boyfriend they had always treated like a brother. They had my whole life, our whole Ken and Barbie made-up life, planned out.”

 

“Ah. Don’t want to rub it in that they were wrong about that happily ever after.”

 

“It’s not like there was anything they could do to help anyway. Why am I even explaining this?”

 

“Because you’re on my plane. My brother asked me to help get you home.”

 

I scrunched up my face. “Ok. Fair enough. Thank you.”

 

He rubbed his chin. “No problem.” He shifted in his seat.

 

“Would you care for something to drink?” The flight attendant asked.

 

“Any chance I can get a Bloody Mary? A double? Extra spicy?”

 

“Of course.” 

 

“Thank you.” She turned to Nick. He gave a nod and a hand gesture. She walked away.

 

It was my turn to stare at him. “What?”

 

“That’s how you ask for a drink?”

 

“She knows what I want.”

 

“I’m sure she does.” I laughed. His smile widened. He uncrossed and recrossed his leg. “Could you maybe ease up on the smolder?” He started to laugh as the plane bounced. I gasped and clutched onto my seat. With the second jolt, I pulled my knees up and wrapped myself into a ball. “EEP!” I dropped my head and pressed my forehead into my knees.

 

“You really don’t like to fly, do you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Leavin" performed by Jesse McCartney. Written by Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, James Bunton, and Corron Ty.


	17. The Long Day is Over

_ Feeling tired _

_ By the fire _

_ The long day is over _

 

_ The wind is gone _

_ Asleep at dawn _

_ The embers burn on _

 

_ With no reprise _

_ The sun will rise _

_ The long day is over _

  
  
  


“Where do you think you’re going?” Nick asked as I got up from my seat. The plane had come to a stop at the terminal.

 

“Home.” I answered. I collected my things as the door opened. 

 

“And how do you plan on doing that?” He walked down the aisle behind me as I reached the door.

 

“Uber.” I walked down the stairs to the tarmac. A black sedan pulled up to the terminal.

 

“Yeah. I don’t think so.” He was practically on my heels.

 

“I am capable of getting a ride home.” The driver stepped out of the car and waited by the passenger door.

 

“I’m sure you are. I’m also sure my brother will kill me if I let you out of my sight before you’re at your front door.” I pursed my lips together. “Just get in the car, Holly.”

 

The driver took my bag from me then opened the door. “Thank you.” 

 

He got in on the other side. “I can’t tell if you’re you’re fiercely independent or just really stubborn.”

 

“Both.” He started laughing as the car drove away.

 

The hum of the tires lulled me to sleep as we sped down the freeway. I woke up as the car pulled into my driveway.  “Keys, please.” The burly guy in the front seat asked with an outstretched hand. I looked at him for a moment, trying to piece together what he wanted. I pushed my hair out of my face before I handed them over and watched as he walked into my house.

 

“I can see what my brother sees in you.”

 

“Huh?”

 

He laughed lightly but didn’t repeat what he said. I stared at the door until the search of my house was complete.

 

Nick got out of the car. He walked around to my side. After the driver retrieved my bag from the trunk, Nick took it from him. “Um... Well... Thank you for the flight, and the ride,” I glanced down to my bag,  “and for being my personal bellman.”

 

“You’re welcome.” We stood there in awkward silence for a moment. “Door. Go.” He pointed.

 

I headed up the walkway. I waited at the threshold for him to close the few steps between us. “W-would you like to come in? I’m sure I have something I can whip up for dinner. I mean nothing spectacular. Maybe some pasta. Or I  could order something?”  _ Did I just stutter? _

 

He raised his arm. I watched as his bicep curl as his hand rubbed the back of his neck. He chuckled. “Uh.” He pointed back at the two men at the car. “Have enough for those two as well?”

 

“Oh. Right. Those guys.”

 

“I should go anyway.”   
  


“Yeah. Ok. Gimme, please.” I reached out for the bag he was holding. He handed it over. I immediately threw it in the house. “Well... thank you, again.” 

 

“Uh huh.” He suddenly opened his arms and took a step toward me. My arms encircled him for a quick hug. “My brother is a very lucky man.” 

 

I waited until he got back in the car and it rolled down my driveway. I walked into my house and closed the door. My phone started ringing. I fished it out of my bag. “Hi Babe.”

 

“I thought I told you to call me as soon as you got to LA?” He spoke quickly and loudly.

 

“Hey!” I shouted back. “I just walked in the door.”

 

“Where’s Nick?” 

 

“Your brother, his bodyguard - who just did a thorough inspection of my house... Now that I think about that, I might need to feel embarrassed... I don’t remember if I left anything out upstairs. Oh GOD! He looked in the studio too... You might have to explain that if he says something -  and the driver just left my driveway. Why do you sound mad?”

 

He sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m not mad. I’ve just been worried and anxious to hear from you. Are you ok? Did my brother behave?”

 

“I’m fine. It was touch and go there for a moment, but your brother came around.”

 

“Came around? What does that mean?”

 

“I just meant that he stopped acting inconvenienced and was polite.”

 

“Oh. Ok.” Immediately, his tone changed. “How was the flight?” 

 

“Also touch and go. There were a couple of white knuckle moments, my cocktail almost became a casualty, but we all managed to live. Though I might have an imprint of the seatbelt across my lap.”

 

“Aw. My poor baby. I bet I could make it feel better.”

 

“Oh? What would you do to make it feel better?”

 

“Hmmm. I’m thinking ice would be best... you know if it’s a bruise.” I slid down the door to the floor as I waited to hear more. He explained in explicit detail just how he intended treat my injury.

 

“I definitely think your prescription would do the trick. While I’m pretty good at following doctor’s orders, I may need your assistance...” Twenty minutes later, I collected my things and took them upstairs. I texted MJ to make sure he was going to send my luggage home. I texted Roxie, and Drew, and my parents to let them all know I was home safely. I emptied out the one bag I had with me. I started making lists of things I needed to do - first priority, groceries.

 

I went to the kitchen to survey its edible contents. Another list was made. With purse and keys in hand, I opened my front door to find Nick standing on my stoop with his fist raised. My keys flew backward. My purse hit the floor; its contents spilled out. I jumped back with a scream. “Oh! God! Shit! Holly! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.”

 

“Fuck! Nick! Don’t do that! I mean. I’m sorry. It’s ok. Well, it’s not ok that you scared me, but you didn’t mean to. So. Yeah. Um.” I looked at him for a moment before I realized my lipsticks were rolling around. I dropped down to shovel everything back in. “Keys... keys... Keys...”

 

“They went that way,” he pointed past me to the living room. 

 

I found them on the floor near the couch. I picked them up and went back to the door. “Now that we’ve gotten through that, what brings you back? Did I leave something in the car?”

 

“Uh. No. Look. I was just wondering. Well. Do you want to have dinner with me?”

 

“Um. Sure. When?”

 

“How about now? You’ve got to be starving. I know I’m hungry.”

 

“I was just headed to the grocery store, but I guess that can wait.” He smiled. I clicked the button to open the garage door. “Hop in.” He walked me to the driver’s side of my car and opened the door. “Thank you.” I watched in the rear view mirror as he walked behind the car. “How hungry are you? ‘I could eat’ hungry, hungry, or ‘I’m gonna eat my fist if I don’t get something soon’ hungry.”

 

“Borderline between the second and third options.”   
  


“What would you like to eat?” He mumbled something I didn’t catch. “We’ve pretty much got everything nearby. Indian, Chinese, Italian, BBQ, Korean BBQ, teppanyaki, sushi, Japanese...”

 

“How about a burger?”

 

“You got it.” A short drive later, we slid up to the bar at my favorite burger joint. Two frosty glasses filled with beer were set in front of us. “Cheers to safe travels.” Our glasses clinked. I took a sip.

 

Nick set his glass back down. A line of foam hugged his upper lip. “I owe you an apology, Holly.” He spoke.

 

“For?” I giggled. He looked at me incredulously. “You have a little some...”

 

His tongue poked out and erased the line. “Better?” I nodded. “As I was saying, I owe you an apology. I was kind of a dick this morning.”

 

“Your words, not mine.”

 

“It’s just I figured my brother was just trying to gain favor with you by getting a flight on a private plane.”

 

“Why would he do that? I mean what would that be his reason to do that?”

 

“He has before.”

 

“Oh." I was taken aback. "Then I can understand why you would be less than happy to have me on board. Did he not tell you why he was asking the favor this time?”

 

“He told me enough, not everything, but enough for me to let you on the plane. What he told me made me think I was going to get this hysterical, whimpering, mess of a thing. And you came on the plane with your head held high and your shoulders back with this ‘I can conquer the world’ determination.”

 

“So you thought he lied to you.”

 

“I did...”   
  


“He didn’t.”

 

“I know. I knew it when you fell asleep. Curled up in your seat, as tiny as you could possibly get, I saw it. I saw the fear you deny. I saw the raw vulnerability only a few people have ever seen. I saw the sheer exhaustion you fight tooth and nail to hide.” I didn’t know what to say.

 

“Fries?” A server asked. I patted the bar top between us.

 

“Follow up question,” I started as I shoved a fry in my face. He nodded. “I’m fairly certain I know how you’re going to answer this question, too. Nonetheless, why would he lie?”

 

“He has before,” we both said. 

 

Nick chuckled. “You aren’t the first to be lied to by siblings. My sisters lied to me all the time. They got me to do their chores and let them watch the shows they wanted to watch and give them my desserts.” He laughed. “I imagine though, he lied to you about something more important that whose turn it was to take out the trash or do the dishes?” 

 

The conversation was interrupted by our burgers’ arrival. He didn’t answer my question.

 

By the time I got home, I was dragging. “Will you let Randall check the house before you go inside?”

 

“I don’t think it’s necessary, but arguing will take more time than saying yes. So yes. Because I really just want to take a bath and go to bed.” He took my keys and walked them over to the passenger side of the black sedan in the driveway. I leaned against my car and waited. Nick stood next to me. He mimicked me; arms crossed over his chest, left foot crossed over the right. I yawned. He slid a little closer. 

 

“Come here,” His arm raised and landed over my shoulder. I tilted toward him. I propped my head on his shoulder. “It won’t take much longer, I promise.” He laughed when I yawned. “You have had a very draining day.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Thank you.” I was so tired, I could have fallen asleep right there leaning on him and the car. I willed my eyes to stay open until I saw Randall return. He nodded. “Ok. I guess I am good to go.” I turned toward Nick and gave him a hug. “Thank you again. I appreciate everything you did for me today.”

 

His chin rested on top of my head. “You’re very welcome.” I stepped back from him. “I believe there is a bath and bed calling your name.” I nodded with a smile and scampered into the house. I locked, dead-bolted, and chained the door before I set the alarm.

 

I took one look at my bed and decided the bath could wait. I slipped my shoes off and climbed in. I dialed my phone. “Hi. I just wanted to say good night and I love you and I miss you.”

 

“I love you and I miss you too. Did you eat?”

 

“Yes. Nick and I had dinner.”

 

“You had dinner with my brother?”   
  


“Yes, your brother. Not my friend, Nick. Though I can see how that might be confusing. Except of course the part where my Nick is in Vegas and I am not.”   
  


“He took you to dinner?”

 

“Yes. Actually, I took him to dinner. At least I drove us to dinner. He did pay for dinner, if that’s what you meant. He figured you would kill him if he didn’t take care of me.”

 

“And you two talked while you were at dinner... to each other?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What did you talk about?”

 

“A little bit of everything... Me. You. Siblings. Don’t worry. He didn’t divulge any secrets or break any bro-codes.”

 

“You’re talking fast and you’re a little rambly. You’re tired.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Did you take a nice bath?”

 

“I was going to, but then I decided to call you first. Then I laid down on my bed. So I’ll skip the bath and just go to bed.”

 

“I wish I was there with you.” Those were the magic words. Tears sprung to my eyes and spilled down my cheeks

 

“Me too.” I sobbed

 

“What did I say?”

 

“Nothing. It’s not you. I’m tired. Too tired. I just need to sleep, okay?” We spent another five minutes or so saying goodbye before I hung up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "The Long Day is Over" performed by Norah Jones; 2002. Written by Norah Jones and Jesse Harris.


	18. Zoom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "zoom" performed by DNCE; 2016. Written by Rickard Göransson, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Justin Tranter & Joe Jonas

_ Baby, put on your high heels _

_ Run the show and let's just run away _

_ Yeah, I got the plan to kill the blues _

_ And all it's gonna take it you and me _

 

“Hi Honey, it’s Mom. I sent you an email with the link to some songs you might want to choreograph. I left them uncut - I figured you would want to do that yourself. Call Carlos or Artemis or Kia to partner with you. Send me videos, please. You need two by the end of next week.”  I opened up my laptop and found my mother’s email. Six dances were listed with their accompanying song. I looked a the list: Waltz, Quickstep, Disco, Samba, Rhumba, and Cha Cha. I followed the link. I listened to each song several times.

 

I picked up the phone and dialed my mom. “Hey Momma. I got your email. I listened to the songs and looked over the list. I have some questions for you?”

 

“Hi, my girl! Ask away!”

 

“I really want to ask where you got some of these tracks... there are a few I haven’t heard before. Definitely some interesting and unexpected sounds.”

 

“I don’t hear a question in there.”

 

“Who am I choreographing for?”

 

“I would recommend, for now, that you create a pro version and an amature version for each song.”

 

“You said I need two by the end of next week. Two songs or two dances for one song?”

 

“Two songs.” She answered. I was silent for a few moments. “What are you contemplating, Daughter? Where do you want to start?”

 

“I think I want to start with a Waltz or Disco. But I’m really feeling that cha cha song... I’m thinking more of a Latin fusion - cha cha and Samba mix. How true to tradition do I have to stay?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well, if I wanted to do a disco number to a broadway song, could I? Or would that be frowned upon?”

 

“Mix it up. Show Ol’ Goody Two-Shoes Goodwin that YOU can reinvigorate the show.”

 

“Uh. Yeah. I’ll get right on that one, Mom. I’ll try to make it interesting, I can’t promise reinvigorating.”

 

“Honey, I know you will breathe new life to it just by being there. Now call one of the boys and get moving.”

 

“Yes ma’am.” I hung up with my mother then texted my creative partners to see who was free to help me. In the meantime, I kept listening to the list of songs. 

  
  
  
  


“Aye, Mami! Look at you!”

 

“Carlito! Que paso, my darling!” I ran across the studio to hug my friend. “I have missed you so much!”

 

“You know you didn’t have to wait until you started dancing again before you called me.”   
  


“I know, I know.”

 

“So what are we working on?”

 

“I have a couple of ideas, but tell me what you think.” We sat down on the floor to listen to the tracks my mom sent.

 

“Where’d she get these?”

 

“I don’t ask. Which one do you think we should start with?”

 

“The second one.”

 

“That’s the one I chose too. Up, up, Darling. Let’s move! There’s a thing brewing in my brain.”

 

“You better tighten those heels, Hon,” Carlos smiled as he held his hand out to me. We started hashing out steps, turns, and tricks. Footwork was fast and frenetic. Handholds and spins were intricate. “Time out,” Carlos called out. 

 

“What?” 

 

“If I lift you right now, you will bounce on that tiny little ass of yours. There is too much sweat happening.”

 

We’d been working for hours. “Ok. We’ll take a break.” Sweat rolled down my back as I stood up straight. Carlos threw a towel at me. I mopped my forehead. I took a couple sips of water. “So what’s new with you?”

 

”Uh uh. No. We are not starting with me. You are going to tell me everything about the last 8 months.” Carlos declared.

 

“What’s there to tell?” I smiled.   
  


My friend gawked at me. “What? What’s there to tell?!”   
  


“What?”

 

“What?! You are going to spill every detail about that boyfriend of yours.”

 

“Would you look at the time? We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

 

“UGH! Do you not understand? It is your sworn duty to tell your GBF every single detail. I live vicariously through you! I need something. Can you just give me a little juicy detail? Some small, insignificant detail?”

 

“The detail you’re looking for is neither small nor insignificant. Now. Can we just get back to dancing?” I got up and stood in the middle of the room. 

 

He sat there dumbfounded for a moment as he absorbed my words. Then he started giggling. “I knew it! Was that so hard?” I snurked. We both started laughing. A few minutes later, we both recomposed ourselves. “We should record this run...” He grabbed my phone and set up the camera. “Now. Let’s see if we can get through this whole number.” As soon as the music started we spun, stepped, and lifted our way through the song. When we were done, he stopped the camera. “Now you send it.”

 

“Send it? To whom? It’s still a mess. Maybe we should change that third spin pass. Can we watch it first?”

 

“The choreo is fantastic. We don’t need to change anything. I will watch it and decide.” He stared into the screen. “Yep. It’s good.” He fiddled with the phone for a moment. “And it’s sent.”

 

He handed the phone back to me. I quickly looked at my messages. He sent the video to my mother and to Joe. “CARLOS!”

 

“How many more numbers do we need to crank out?”

 

“Three more by the end of the week.”

 

“We might as well start them.”

 

“We could. Or they could wait until tomorrow. I think we’ve done quite a bit for day one. We started and finished a whole dance! It’s almost 9:00. I’m starving!!”

 

“Hokay. Hokay. I’ll go for now.” Carlos changed his shoes and gathered his things. I walked him to the door and swung it wide open. “Good night, Darling.” He stopped in his tracks as someone walked up the driveway.

 

Nick sheepishly dropped his head as he got to the doorstep. My friend raised an eyebrow at me.

 

I laughed at Carlos. “Do not look at me in that tone!” I then turned to Nick. “Hi there. What brings you over?”

 

“Pizza?” He held out a pizza box. “I thought you might be interested in a late dinner?” 

 

“Was my stomach growling that loudly?”

 

Carlos nodded and turned for his car. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning. You better have the coffee ready.” 

 

“OK! I will. Love you Carlito! Give K.J. my love too!” I hollered back. He waved as he disappeared down the driveway. I turned to Nick, “You are here to save me, yet again. Come on in, Pizza Guy.” He followed me through the house, to the kitchen. The box made a flat, slapping sound as it hit the countertop. I hopped on the counter next to the box. I flipped open the top, grabbed a slice, and took a bite. “So? What really brings you over? Not that I mind. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” 

 

“Like I said... I thought you might be hungry.” He sat in the chair along the breakfast bar.

 

“Yeah. You said that.” I took another bite. “I’m thinking there might be another reason.” I layed back across the counter to reach for the napkin holder.

 

“What other reason could there be?” He took a slice from the box.

 

“Well, first thought... Your brother asked you to keep an eye on me after Hawaii.” I smacked a napkin next to him.

 

“And your second thought?”

 

“You’re still not sure I’m good enough for your brother.”

 

“We both know that’s not true. If anything, you may be too good for my brother.” He took another bite. “Next thought?”

 

“You really like showing up at my house to eat?” We both laughed for a brief moment. And that’s when I heard it. There was the hint of sadness in his laugh. My eyes scanned over his face until they locked on his eyes. I dropped my pizza crust into the box before I slid off the counter. I walked closer. “Look at me.” He faced me, but his eyes avoided mine. I mushed my palms into his cheeks. “Hey, hey... Just look me in the eye. For a moment.” My thumbs brushed over his forehead. I looked at his irises and pupils. There was a faint line in the corners of his eyes. When he closed his eyelids, there was a barely noticeable purple tint. I inhaled sharply. He turned out of my hands. His hand flew up to his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “You don’t want to be at home.”

 

“I beg your pardon.”

 

“Someone broke your heart. Badly. Your house, your home is cold and lonely place with reminders of what could have been... what once was. It’s ok. Mi casa es su casa. I have a couch... a spare bedroom or two. I’d say three, but one - in theory - is Roxy’s, my bestie. You haven’t met her. Of course you haven’t met her. The only person in my life you have met, aside from me, is your brother.”  I was rambling. He looked at me for a moment with an indescribable expression. “Do you want me to tell him, or do you want to?”

 

“Tell him what?”

 

“Well if you’re going to stay at my house, one or both of us need to tell him.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Uh. Simple. I am his girlfriend. And should the tabloids catch the slightest whiff of gossip, they will exploit it.”

 

“Ah. Right. And we wouldn’t want that.”

 

I cocked my head to the side for a moment. “I am offering my house to you as a place of refuge and solace...to work out whatever it is you need to work out or even hide from. But I am not about to keep things from Joe. Should you choose to be in my house - for dinner or extended periods of time, I’m going to tell him. If you are ok with that, then we’re good. If you aren’t, the door is that way.” I pointed toward the front of the house. “It’s yours to decide. Excuse me, please.” I walked out of the kitchen. I remembered my phone was in the studio. I headed across the first floor to retrieve it. I immediately dialed his number.

 

“Hi Babe.” He answered on the second ring.

 

I closed the studio door. “Hi, my love,” I exhaled.

 

“I got your video. I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet. Everything ok?”   
  


“Yeah, of course. Just a long day. How was your day?”

 

“Same.”

 

“Get anything good down?

 

“I think so.”

 

“Hey... So...” I stalled.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Did you ask your brother to check on me?”

 

“No. Why?”

 

“He came over. He brought pizza.”

 

“Well that was nice of him.”

 

“Yes, it was. He seems to be in a not so great place.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Exactly what I said. It is clear that he is hurting. So I just want you to know that I have told him that he can stay here... hide out from whatever it is he is trying to avoid. I offered the couch or one of the guest rooms.”

 

“Holly, why are you telling me this?”   
  


“Why wouldn’t I tell you? I have learned my lesson about keeping secrets from you. I told Nick I was going to tell you. And if he doesn’t like that I told you, then he can’t stay here.”

 

I heard him laugh on the other end. “I love you, Holly Carmichael. I miss you so much. Thank you for telling me. Tell Nick to call me. You should probably got to bed. Maybe lock your bedroom door.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Just do it for me. Please.”

 

“For you, I will. Good night.” I ended the call and walked back out to the kitchen. Nick was exactly where I left him. “Ok, you. Follow me.”  I walked down the hallway and turned on the lights. “To the left is a guest room. To the right is another guest room. You may stay in either of them. Each has their own bathroom. Take your pick. Call your brother. I am going to bed. Good night.”

 

“Call my brother?”

 

“Yes. He wants you to call him.” I turned back down the hallway and headed for the stairs. “Good night.” I called back. 

 

Once inside my room, I stared at the door knob. I could hear Joe’s suggestion in my mind. I quickly flipped the lock before I could think about it too much. After a hot shower, I climbed into bed.  I grabbed my phone and snapped a kissy face photo from my pillow.

 

_ “Good night, my love. The door is locked. Sweet dreams.”  _  I sent the picture to Joe.

 

____________________________________________________

 

“Carlito, we may need to call in reinforcements! I know I said we have like three dances to do, but I think we also need to do a couple versions of each of them. Not completely different dances, but different technical levels for each one.” We were sitting in the kitchen sipping our coffee before we started for the day.

 

“AYE Holly! I think you have all the talent you need to choreograph at the highest level and water it down on the fly.”

 

We’d been working for days. We had four dances in the can. “Haha. NO. I cannot water it down on the fly. Not at this level. It’s ‘A’ game all the time. Not to mention, how would you feel if you were my partner and you had to watch me rewrite to make it easier because you couldn’t get the steps.”

 

“It’s show business.”

 

“Yeah, I know that. But we’re still talking about people. So I don’t care if it’s show business, I’m in the business of people.”

 

“I know, I know my darling. And I love you for it. It just means more work for me. We don’t need reinforcements, I got you.”

 

I gave him a big hug. “I love you, my Carlito. You always have my back... and my front... and my arm... and my leg.” Carlos jumped back. I looked over my shoulder to see Nick walk into the kitchen wearing a very sweaty shirt, shorts, and running shoes. “Oh hey. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?”

 

“Me?” Carlos said under his breath.

 

I stifled a laugh. “Maybe a little breakfast?”

 

“Um...”   
  


“It’s almost done.” He looked around the kitchen. “Breakfast casserole in the oven.” I hopped up from my chair. I grabbed a mug out of the cupboard. “Pick your poison. Coffee there. Tea here.” I set the mug on the counter and went back to my coffee. He flipped the switch on the electric kettle then turned to the wooden tea box. 

 

“I think maybe I’ll go get cleaned up first.” He said a couple of minutes later.

 

“Sure.” He walked out with cup in hand.  Carlos’ eyes followed him out as I checked on the oven. “You may as well just walk down the hallway after him.” I teased.

 

“Don’t temp me.”

 

“Carlito... what ever will I tell Kaje?”

 

“Nothing.” I laughed at his answer. I pulled the casserole dish out. Carlos arranged place settings at the kitchen table. We leap-frogged each other as we grabbed the different items needed to complete breakfast - coffee, hot sauce, toast, jam. The two of us sat down “So uh... I have to ask.. He was here when I left... here when I came back...”

 

I finished chewing, “If you even think of finishing that question you will be very sorry.” Carlos saw Nick come back in before I did. “You look like you’re going to devour him. Stop it.” I looked over my shoulder. “You. Stop lurking back there. Come sit down and eat.”

 

“I wasn’t lurking. I didn’t want to interrupt your conversation.” 

 

I picked up the third plate filled it with food. “That would never stop this one, so it shouldn’t stop you.” I pointed the spatula at Carlos. “Now sit.” Carlos looked at me. “You. Eat. Before I smack you.” They both quickly sat down and began eating.


	19. I Just Wanna Dance With Somebody

_ Oh, I wanna dance with somebody _

_ I wanna feel the heat with somebody _

_ Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody _

_ With somebody who loves me _

  
  
  


“Hey Kitten. It’s Dad. Just wanted to wish you good luck or break a leg or throw a shoe or whatever it is I’m supposed to say to show my support. Mom and I love you, Darling Girl.” I smiled at my dad’s voice mail. Today was the day. Day 1. The day I meet all the other pros on the show. Stepping into the conference room felt like the first day of school. Returning pros gathered in corner of the room. Returning troupe members in another. Newbies, like myself, hung back like wallflowers. I surveyed the lot before taking a seat.

 

“Hi. I’m Cooper.” A hand slid over the table toward me. “Cooper Allen. And you are?”

 

“Hi. Holly. Carmichael.” I returned.

 

“First time?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Me too.”

 

“Well I’ll be damned. It really is true!” A voice boomed beside me. “I heard you hung up your mouse ears and strapped on your dancing shoes... Took you long enough, Holly.”

 

“Dallas?” I popped up and threw my arms around the tall, lean man. “I thought you were in Australia or New Zealand or somewhere?”

 

“I was. But after winning a few more titles out there, old fuddy-duddy Goodwin offered me a job here as a new pro.”

 

“That’s fantastic! Welcome home. And I temporarily hung my ears up.”

 

“Uh huh. Temporary.” Dallas grinned.

 

“What can I say? They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

 

“Oh look! Our Pretty, Pretty Princess has arrived,” one of the female pros quipped.

 

I looked at her, then back to Dallas. “Don’t mind Bree, she’s just a bitch.”

 

“I heard that, Kiwi.”

 

“I’m not a...”

 

The conference room door swung wide open and all execs walked in. “Alright gang. Let’s all settle down and get through this. I’m sure you all have a lot to do before we start training our celebs.” The chit-chat stopped and everyone sat down. “Aside from having a new male pro and a few new troupe members - all of whom I’m sure you’ll get to know very well - we have a few new twists this season. The biggest twist is that beginning with the voting in week 4 - and going through week 10, the people will not only be able to vote for who gets to stay, they will also be able to vote for who should be partners.” There were murmurs in the room.

 

“So wait, I can train someone and then they could end up winning with someone else?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I guess you better keep it interesting so that won’t happen.” Another pro shot back.

 

“Settle down. Settle down.” Gabriel Goodwin quickly dispatched with the details and the business of grouping everyone off. I got matched with Dallas and Cooper. 

 

“Sweet. All the new kids are together. That’s great. No one has any idea what we can do.” Dallas smiled to both Cooper and I. “Holly, can we use the studio at your parents’ house?”

 

“Um. No.” I answered. His head snapped in my direction with a puzzled look. “We can use the one at my house.”

 

“You have your own studio?” Cooper gaped.”At your house?”

 

“Great. Tomorrow at 10. I expect both of you to bring energy and creativity.”

 

As I was getting ready to leave, Bree cornered me. “Listen Princess. I’m Queen B around here. Stay out of my way.”

 

“Cool, Queen B. I’ll stay out of your way. But just for the record, you keep coming up to me.” I retorted. My hands quickly flew up to cover my mouth.

 

I heard a deep laugh from the doorway. “You’ve got pluck,” Gabriel pointed back at me.

 

“Looks like someone is intimidated by a newbie.” Cooper stated.

 

“Let’s get you out of here before she thinks of a comeback.” Dallas put his hand on the small of my back and pushed me toward the door. Cooper scrambled to keep up.

  
  
  


I got up the next morning and made breakfast. A sleepy-headed Nick walked into the kitchen to a pile of pancakes and bacon. “You’ve been busy this morning,” he mumbled.

 

“We can’t start rehearsals on empty stomachs. Help yourself.”

 

“We? Rehearsals? Oh. I didn’t realize those were starting already. I’ll get out of here so...”

 

“You don’t have to. It’s just the boys. No camera crews or anything like that.”

 

“The boys?” 

 

“Yes, the boys. Dallas and Cooper. We’re a team.”

 

“On the show.”

 

“Yes. On the show.”

 

“Should I leave?”

 

“That’s entirely up to you. You’re welcome to stay.” A knock at the door interrupted our conversation. 

 

I found Cooper standing on the other side of the door. “Sorry. I’m early. I gave myself time to get lost.” he admitted.

 

“Come on in. Breakfast is in the kitchen.” I turned around and walked back to Nick. 

 

“Breakfast?” Cooper was practically on my heels. He spotted Nick still sitting at the counter. “I didn’t you know you had a brother. I thought you only had sisters?” He was clearly trying to size up the situation.

 

“I don’t have any brothers.” I replied. “Cooper, Nick; Nick, Cooper.” Nick started to get up. “Eat first, please.” I said to Nick. He looked at the food on the counter. “Cooper, you too.” They both loaded up plates. 

 

“Ah... Boyfriend then?” Cooper asked between bites.

 

“No.” Nick and I bother answered.

 

“Roommate?” Cooper quizzed.

 

“No. I don’t have any roommates.” I patiently clarified. “I promise, there will be plenty of time to play 20 questions, but can we please not do it now?” Cooper got quiet. “Anyone want some eggs to go with those pancakes?”

 

“Yes, please.” They both answered.

 

“So you and Dallas know each other?” Cooper asked after a few bites in silence.

 

I slid a cooked egg onto his plate. “Yes, we were next door neighbors. He went to school with my sisters.” 

 

Nick looked up from his plate. “Neighbors?”

 

“Yes. We were neighbors.”

 

“And?”

 

“And friends.”

 

“And?” 

 

“And dance partners.”

 

“And?” Nick pried.

 

“Oh don’t you start too. There’s no more and. That’s it. Neighbors, and friends, and dance partners.”

 

“Ok.” Nick responded.

 

“And he’s not from Australia?”

 

“No. He’s not. He’s been there for the last few years, but he’s not FROM there.” I heard a motorcycle rumble up the driveway.  _ Thank GOD!  _  Cooper’s head immediately turned to the sound. He hopped off his seat and started for the door. 

 

“At least he stopped asking questions...” Nick joked.

 

The door swung open before Cooper reached it. “Honey, I’m HOME!” Dallas announced.

 

“In here,” I shouted back. I heard the thud of his stuff hitting the floor. “Mornin’. Dallas, this is Nick. Nick, this is Dallas.” 

 

“Hey man.” Dallas nodded as he reached for the bacon on the bar. I set a cup of coffee before him. “You have no idea how much I love you right now.” He winked at me. “Cooper! Quit lurking in the doorway and grab a seat. We have plotting to do.”

 

“I think that’s my cue.” Nick stated.

 

“You stay. Everyone else, grab your cup. Let’s go to the living room to start the plotting.” Cooper juggled his cup, plate, and bag as he followed Dallas and I to the other room. I set my cup on the coffee table before I flopped back into my favorite spot. I waited for everyone to get settled. “Ok Dally. What’s your plan?”

 

“Our biggest advantage is that no one knows us. Not our styles. Not our tactics. Not anything. Cooper, I know you are one of the most inventive choreographers I have seen in a long time. Holly, you see music in a way no one else does and you fuse styles to make something completely new and mesmerizing. And you both have flawless technique.”

 

“Then what do we need you for?” I joked. I heard Cooper suck in a breath. 

 

Dallas laughed. “Chill out, Coop. It’s ok to make jokes... even at my expense. In fact, get used to it. If you aren’t the occasional butt of a joke, then you should worry. And you need me because no one knows who you are.” I laughed out loud. “Ok. No one knows who he is. And people only know you from Page 6.”

 

“Page 6?” Conner asked.

 

“Dear God, Kid! Rule number 1... Do the homework.”

 

“There was homework?”

 

“Oh for Christ’s sake! Google her already!” 

 

“So we have technique, creative choreo, and style. How does that set us apart from the others?” I asked.

 

“It doesn’t... yet.”

 

“How do you want to play this? Slow and safe?”

 

“Most definitely, at least through the first two weeks. Get through the first elimination, then we can start spicing it up. Granted, it will also depend on our celeb.”

 

“Hasbeen or newcomer?”

 

“You don’t think we’ll get a contender either...”

 

“Nope. But who knows, we could both be wrong.”

 

“Show me what you’re working on.” I synced my phone to the tv and streamed the video Carlos shot. Both Cooper and Dallas were fixed on the screen.

 

“Good God that’s fast!” Cooper noted.

 

“I love this. There’s one number we have. You ready to teach it to us.”

 

“What about seeing some of Cooper’s repertoire?” 

 

“Later. Later. Come on, let’s get moving. Which way to the studio?”

 

“Double doors to the left of the staircase.” Dallas and Cooper hopped up. Dallas grabbed his bag from the spot he had so unceremoniously deposited it upon his arrival. 

 

Dallas pushed through the doors. “Well what do we have here?” He smirked noting the chrome pole. 

 

“There’s a rig for silks and lyra too,” I replied.

 

“Did you have a Cirque du Soleil phase too?” Cooper asked.

 

“Cirque du Soleil phase, kid you’re funny.” Dallas laughed.

 

“Part Cirque. Part strength training and flexibility. Part fun.” I answered.

 

“Uh huh. Sure.” Dallas doubted. Without a word, I walked to the pole. My hand raised above my head. My wrist twisted into an awkward grip. The right hand slid down as I bent over and braced with my left hand. I pulled with my right hand and push with my left hand. My feet lifted off the ground. The pole started to slowly spin. I locked out my left elbow as my right toe arced up toward the ceiling. My body made a perfect x for a few seconds before I hooked my right ankle to the pole. I transitioned  from my ankle to my knee. The pole spun a little faster with the motion. I straightened my left leg out behind me and stretched my arms back. My left knee bent and I grabbed my foot with both hands. My head and back arched until my hands could touch. After a few more seconds, I let go of my foot. My left knee touched my right knee. Left hand grabbed down for the pole. Right hand reached up. I twisted my hips away from the pole as my left hand released. I kicked my legs for a moment before I tucked everything in and dropped about 2 feet. Cooper gasped.

 

“Jesus Christ, Holly!” Dallas yelled at me. 

 

I started laughing as I made my way back to the floor. “You want to try, Mr. ‘Uh Huh Sure’?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then don’t doubt and don’t mock.” I walked over to the closet and grabbed a pair of heels to put on. 

 

“I think that’s the closest thing ‘fuck you’ I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth.”

 

“The season is young. And my filters get lost from time to time. Now are we going to dance or what?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from " Just Wanna Dance With Somebody" performed by Whitney Houston; 1987. Written by George Merrill Shannon Rubicam


	20. Honey, I'm Home

_ Honey, I'm home and I had a hard day _ __  
_ Pour me a cold one and oh, by the way _ __  
_ Rub my feet, gimme something to eat _ __  
_ Fix me up my favorite treat _ __  
_ Honey, I'm back, my head's killing me _ __  
_ I need to relax and watch TV _ __  
_ Get off the phone, give the dog a bone _ _  
_ __ Hey! Hey! Honey, I'm home!

 

Everything hurt. My feet. My arms. My abs. My glutes. My hips. I couldn’t move without wincing. We finally had a day off after a gruelling 6 days of preparing. We had our first 4 dances ready to be tweaked to match our celeb’s ability. I alternated between hot showers and mentholated muscle rubs to dull the pain. Ice packs were secured with ace wraps around every joint below my waist. I shuffled downstairs and fell into the couch. The bottle of ibuprofen rattled like a box of Tic-Tacs. I downed two pills with a bottle of water and sunk into the cushions. I shifted and groaned until I found a comfortable position. The doorbell rang.  _ Of course.  _

 

“Knock once if you’re a good guy; twice if you’re a bad guy.” I yelled. There was one knock. “In that case, it’s open.”

 

“That’s a super secure system you’ve got there.” 

 

I sat up and looked over the back of the couch. Joe was standing in the doorway. I practically vaulted over the couch as ice packs hit the floor. I threw myself into his arms. “Ow.” I winced.

 

“Ow?” 

 

“Sh.” I hissed. “Hi. Hi. Hi.” I repeated between kisses on his face. 

 

“Holly? What’s with all the ice packs? And why do you smell like an old man?”

 

“Oh? You don’t like my new fragrance? It’s called, ‘Dancing 12 Hours a Day HURTS’ by Aches and Pains.” 

 

“My poor baby.” He scooped me up. He took a few steps and kicked the door closed. He carried me to the couch. After gently setting me down, Joe picked up the ice packs that had been cast off. He lifted my legs up and slid onto the couch. “Let’s see... this one goes here?” He put an ice pack on my hip. I nodded. “And this one goes here?” He placed one on my knee.” I nodded. “And this one goes here?” 

 

“When did you get back?” I answered.

 

“Flight landed an hour ago.” 

 

“And you came here first?”

 

“Yep.”

 

I sat up to give him a kiss. “Ow. Abs. You’re so sweet.” 

 

He laughed. “I missed you. Tell me all about the show.” 

 

“There’s not a lot to tell right now. Just a lot of rehearsals and choreography.” He shifted beneath me. I rolled to my side and he squeezed between me and the couch.

 

“Then tell me about your team.”

 

“Hmmm.” I burrowed into him. His arm wound under my arm; his hand slipped over the other arm. “Dallas is an old friend of the family who dated my middle sister and he used to be my dance partner when I was younger. Cooper... I’m still figuring him out. He’s nice. Super creative. Needs to borrow some of his ballroom confidence in his real life. Asks too many questions.” 

 

“Too many questions?”

 

“I realize he’s just nervous and he’s trying to get to know us. It’s only natural when you know you’re going to spend a lot of time with the same people. Not to mention he probably feels a little left out. Dally practically watched me grow up and we have our own sort of language - mostly non-verbal.”

 

“Why do I feel like I should be nervous too?”

 

I lifted his hand and pressed a kiss in the back of his hand. “You have nothing to be nervous about. He’s like a big brother to me; and I’m his annoying little sister.”

 

“Speaking of brothers... where is mine?”

 

“No clue. He hasn’t been here in a couple of days.” I could feel his cheek plump against my head. “What’s that smile for?”

 

“How do you know I’m smiling?”

 

I slid to the edge of the couch and rolled onto my back. “Because I know you.” My fingertips brushed along his clean shaven jawline. “This, by the way,” my thumb grazed over the full mustache above his lip, “is an interesting choice.”

 

“You don’t like it.” He frowned.

 

“I didn’t say that. It’s just going to take a little getting used to.”

 

“Getting used to, huh? Like this?” He whisked the ‘stache over my right cheek. “Or maybe like this?” His lips skimmed mine. I giggled. The bristles tickled my upper lip as he came even closer. His lips puckered against mine. “How about like this?” He raised my arm. Kisses were dotted along its length. My whole face scrunched up in a peal of laughter. “You think that’s funny, do you?” His body rolled on top of mine. 

 

“Oof!” The air rush out of my lungs. I quickly readjusted until we both were in a comfortable position. He wormed his face between my neck and shoulder. The light tickles became more like scratches on the tender skin. But they weren’t painful. There was a rushing sense of relief - like when someone scratches that one spot on your back. “Oh. Yeah. I like that.” 

 

It was his turn to laugh.

 

We spent the afternoon on that couch. Kissing. Cuddling. Cat-napping. Wrapped around each other with the rest of the world left outside. At some point, Joe put on more comfortable clothes. I was now laying on top of Joe. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?”

 

“I like surprising you.”

 

I nodded. “How long are you back?”

 

“A while.” He answered. I looked up at him. “I’ve got a little project I’m working on that’s going to keep me here for several weeks... maybe even a few months.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes, really.”

 

“What kind of project?”

 

“Not yet. It’s still top secret.” I gave him the side-eye. “Do you trust me?”

 

“Yes of course, Aladdin, I trust you.”

 

“Just let me have it for a few more days, ok?”

 

“Ok,” I conceded. 

 

I started to get up. “Where are you going?”

 

“If I have any thoughts of dancing tomorrow, I need to stretch out.”

 

“Teach me.”

 

“You want to stretch out with me?” He nodded in response. “Ok.” He followed me into the studio. I unfurled two yoga mats. I connected my phone to the sound system and turned on a playlist. “Have a seat,” I directed him. I sat down on my mat, pulled my legs in, and pressed the soles of my feet together. I watched as Joe tried to mirror my position. His shoulders were hunched over as he tried to hold on to his ankles. “Release your hands. Relax your hips and legs. Let your knees fall open.” His hands let go, but the rest of him didn’t move. “OK. I can see that you’re hips need a little work. Try sitting with your legs crossed like in kindergarten.” That helped... a little. I crawled over to him. “I could swear you had more hip flexibility.” I winked as I moved his feet further out. I watched his knees lower. “Better?”

 

“Yes. And I have plenty of hip flexibility when it matters.” He winked back. I grabbed his face and kissed him before going back to my mat. 

 

We spent an hour stretching and flexing and working out tight muscle groups. “Did I kill you?” I asked as he lay on the floor.

 

“Hm? No. Not dead.” He mumbled. 

 

I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator in the corner. I drew a long drink. “You should have some of this.” I straddled his body and lowered over him. He slowly propped himself up on an elbow and took the water from me. He chugged the rest of the bottle in seconds. I sat on his thighs. He set the bottle on the floor beside us. I ran my fingers through his hair. I watched his eyes focus on me. “Hi Baby.” I caressed his cheek. “You ok?”

 

His head drooped into my hand. “Yeah. I’m good.” He smiled. He pressed a kiss into the heel of my hand. His hands found my thighs. “How often do you do that stretching thing?”

 

“As often as possible. Flexibility is fleeting. And relaxation is everybody’s friend.” His fingertips squeezed my legs. I took his head into both hands and caressed his temples with my thumbs. His jaw dropped open. I dragged my thumbs downward.

 

Joe’s hands left my thighs and grabbed my wrists. My eyes flew to his, searching for an explanation of the sudden movement. “Are you ok?”

 

“Yeah, Honey, I’m fine.”

 

“I’m sorry. So sorry. I should have been there. Here. For you. I should have come back sooner to make sure you were ok.” His eyes were getting glassy.

 

“Whoa. Oh. No. Babe. Hold on.”

 

“We had a fight. And then I had to go. And then.”

 

“Joe. Stop. Please stop.” I yanked my wrists out of his hands. I wrapped my arms and legs around him. “Don’t do this. Ok? I am fine.”

 

“I hear that phone call in my head. You sounded so scared.”

 

“I was scared.”

 

His arms wrapped around me so tightly. “You were scared; which made me scared. You were crying. And I couldn’t get to you. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t protect you.”

 

“Shhhh-ssshhhh-ssshhhhhh,” I used my most soothing voice. “You WERE there. You were on the phone with me. You helped calm me down.” I stroked the back of his head. “You got me home. I knew, somehow, as long as I got home, you would get here soon enough. And here you are.” He repositioned his legs. I could feel them cross behind me. His arms pulled me in even tighter until one hand grabbed my shoulder. My chin jutted out over his shoulder. I could feel his heartbeat beside my own. I closed my eyes and focused on the rhythm. 

 

His cheek rubbed against the rise of my collarbone. His chin traced the line back toward my neck. His lips took a third pass. I giggled at the brush of his new lip accessory. “I’m sorry, Baby.” I laughed as he purposely swept back and forth. He jumped as my fingers poked the tender spot in his side. “See. Two can play.” I pushed back as his hands found the skin beneath my shirt. His fingers strummed a known ticklish spot. I wiggled and squirmed in an attempt to get away.  I dug my heels into the floor behind him and propelled myself out of his lap.    
  


With cat-like reflexes, Joe quickly got to his knees and grabbed my ankle before I could get away. I teetered back as he raised my leg and gently bit the base of my calf. My palms slapped the floor. He traded bites and kisses up to the back of my knee. I arched my back as my hands slid out. My head touched the floor first as he lowered himself over me. “I don’t know how you can make laying down look so sexy,” he whispered. 

 

I pressed my palms back into the floor and arched back up. I bumped my chest to his. My shirt was shoved up before my back returned to the floor. I crumpled his shirt in my hands and pulled it over his head. His head dropped to the newly formed lines on my abdomen. Goosebumps and shivers served as praise to the combination of mustache and teeth that grazed bare flesh. I heard a throaty laugh as he surveyed the results. There was a glint in his eye as he looked at me with this proud, half-cocked grin. Every fire inside me ignited.  The time for games was over. I tugged the waistband of his shorts.  We both shimmied our way out of our remaining clothes. I pushed Joe to the floor. My hand swiped the wetness between my legs. My slick fingers wrapped around his cock and gave a few strokes while I positioned myself over him. I guided him inside. He sat up with a jolt. There were words that fell from his lips. They were lost. A cacophony of senses sprang to life. Air rushed into lungs. Every nerve stood on end. Every heartbeat echoed. Every touch burned. Every movement built on the one before it. My body rocked and lifted and sank and undulated in response to every move he made. The sweet torment of release urged it’s way to the surface. Synapse after synapse fired. A wave of relief washed over me as I was flipped to my back. I savored the moment until Joe joined me in euphoria.

 

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said after a while.

 

“Oh, what’s that?”

 

“He does have hip flexibility when it matters.” I started laughing. “No?”

 

“So close.”

 

“Then what were you thinking about?”

 

“You really want to know?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I was wondering how long it would take Postmates to deliver something to eat.” He laughed. “And maybe I should have grabbed two bottles of water.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Honey, I'm Home" performed by Shania Twain; 1997. Written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange Shania Twain


	21. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

_"In the wee small hours of the morning_   
_While the whole wide world is fast asleep_   
_You lie awake and think about the boy_   
_And never ever think of counting sheep"_

 

Sleep was difficult to find for both of us. I don’t know if we had been apart long enough to forget how to sleep next to each other or long enough that we didn’t want to be asleep. My hand would rest on his chest. If it moved away, he would immediately reach for me. If he let go of me, I would instantly search for him. Even our deep, even breaths were interrupted by soft grunts and comforting sighs. We lay there in the dark. Joe’s hand rested on my hip. My hand sat on top of his. He squeezed. ‘Holly? Are you awake?”

“Yes,” I whispered back.

“Look at me.”

I rolled over into the space between us. My fingers followed up his arm until they found his face. “Hi,” I smiled when I touched his lips.

“Hi.” He swept a section of my hair back over my ear. “I don’t want to fall asleep.” He stated.

“Cause you miss me, Baby, and you don’t want to miss a thing or because you don’t know if you’ll get up?”

“I have been dying without your love.”

“You are a dork.” I giggled. “But you’re my silly, goofy, lovable dork.”

“Yes, I am.” He tapped a kiss to my forehead. “Are you nervous about the season?”

“Absolutely terrified.” I admitted.

“Why?”

“Were you nervous the first time you stepped out on the stage in a concert?”

“Not really, but I was a kid. I didn’t know to be afraid. And I had my whole family with me.” I pushed him over to his back. I draped my arm over his stomach and snuggled into his chest. “It’s not like you haven’t danced before or even competed. What are you afraid of?”

“The basics: forgetting the steps. Falling. Breaking something. Wardrobe malfunctions. Not connecting with my teammates.”

“Jesus, Holly. How do you have space to create and learn with all of those things taking up space?!”

“Darling, anxiety knows no bounds.” He stroked my hair.

“How do I help?”

“Just keep doing what you’re doing. Be patient. Be calm when I’m hectic. Hold me. Love me.” I turned my face into his chest and dropped a kiss. “Thank you for asking.” His heartbeat fit between his strokes and filled out a rhythm that lulled me to sleep.

I awoke in the same spot I had drifted off in. Joe’s hand rested in the middle of my back just below the tips of my hair. A few strands were still entwined in his fingers. I opened one eye and looked at the clock. I slid out of bed slowly so he wouldn’t stir. I quickly found my way into dance clothes and a ponytail. I padded down to the kitchen for coffee before preparing for the day’s rehearsals.

I chose some slow, soulful sounds to start waking my body. My movements were languid and fluid that melded from one to the other. I was calm and focused in my energy. I never heard Dallas come in. I didn’t see him stand in the doorway without making a sound and watch every detail. I didn’t see him leave his phone against the wall to record the movement that was about to happen. He sat beside me and matched my straddled posture. He mirrored my movement - I reached overhead with my left arm, he reached with his right. He grasped my wrist and tugged. We both spun toward each other. The trust built over several years returned in one grip. A completely improvised dance flowed through us. It was a mix of contemporary, waltz, and rumba. We covered the floor from corner to corner in steps, turns, leaps, lifts, and even a throw. By the time the song concluded, I was out of breath.

I heard a hushed “wow’ from the doorway. “That was amazing.” A bathrobe-clad Joe clapped as he stepped in. “You must be Dallas.” He reached a hand out.

“You must be The Boyfriend,” Dallas responded with a hearty pump. He quickly dropped the handshake and went for his phone.

“So was that a routine or something from when you were partners before?” I shook my head no. Joe looked flabbergasted for a moment. “You just improv-ed all of that?” I nodded. “Wow. That’s really impressive.”

“Speaking of impressive,” Dallas interrupted. “I am gonna need your help with some of the troupe numbers. And I think Old Fuddy Duddy wants me to choreograph an opening number I have the song, but I need your vision and aerial skills.”

“Ok. But I need coffee first.” I headed to the kitchen with both men at my heel.

“We don’t have to start on it today.”

“But you don’t want Cooper in on it and that’s why you’re here talking to me about it now and not later.”

His knuckles brushed along his jawline. “It’s not that I don’t want him in on it. He just doesn’t have the same skills you do. And I’m here now because I figured you had coffee and maybe breakfast.”

I started laughing. “You got part of it right. Sit down and I’ll work on the other part.” I looked over at Joe leaning against the counter. “You too. Sit.” I put a cup of coffee and a cup of tea in front of their respective drinkers. Eggs, cheese, and a few other things were whipped into omelettes just as Cooper showed up.

“Good morning,” Cooper bellowed.

“You’re just in time.” He came into the kitchen. “Cooper, Joe. Joe, Cooper.”

“The boyfriend, not the brother... right?”

“Wh-whaat?” Joe responded.

“Dude. I told you to Google her.” Dallas growled.

“Hey, Hangry. Want to sit down and eat your eggs.” I snarled back. “Yes, Cooper, he’s the boyfriend.” I answered

“I’m guessing you met my brother when he was here.” Joe added

“Yeah. I did. It was all very confusing. I mean, I don’t know everyone like these guys know everyone. I made a guess. I guessed wrong.”

“Wait. Stop. Cooper. Hang on. It’s not like that. You were doing just fine the first time I met you. We were having conversation, asking questions back and forth. Getting to know people takes time and it has to be organic.” I explained.

“Believe me kid, you do not want to know how many circles of hell we had to dance through to get to this state.” Dallas chimed in.

“I’ll have you remember, Dallas, that we danced. The circles of hell had more to do with your relationship with my sister than me. And besides, Coop, no one has insta-history.” I heard Joe try to stifle a laugh. “You. Stop it.”

“We had... what did you just call it? Insta-history?”

“When we first met? No darling, that was insta-embarrassment.” I retorted.

“That was quickly followed by insta-attraction and insta-chemistry.” Joe winked.

“Sounds like insta-scandal...” Dallas joked.

“Ok. Ok. Haha.” I slid a plate toward Cooper. I turned back to the pan to make myself an omelette. “Dallas, do you have a list to work off of? At least styles and song combinations? Something we can actually work on before we get our person and have to start ballroom bootcamp?”

“I suppose we can do that. Do you two want to work on it together? Or do you each want to come up with something and we can pick one?”

“Yes?” Cooper answered with a question.

“Both then. Cooper. You’re taking Foxtrot, Paso, and Samba. Holly. You’ve got Contemporary, Cha-Cha, and Rumba. Together you have Waltz and Jive.”

“And you’ll take the other quarter of the season?” I quipped.

Dallas laughed. “Did you want the Tango or the Quickstep. I know, you really want the Disco number.”

“I do have an idea for that, actually... I want to do it to a Broadway song.”

“Dancing Queen is overdone.” I rolled my eyes at Dallas’ smart assed quip.

“Can you do that? I mean is it in the rules?” Cooper asked.

“As long as the song fits the style and the content is correct, I don’t see why not.”

“What song?” Dallas asked after a long pause.

“‘A Brand New Day’ from The Wiz.” I turned my breakfast out on a plate. I could see he was searching for the song in his memory. I grabbed a fork and shoved bites into my face as quickly as possible before someone decided it was time to get to work.

The wheels turned as the meter and melody played in his head. His hand twitched and his foot bounced to the beat no one else could hear. His eyes vacillated as if he saw the movement. “Ok. I can get behind that. That’s one we can work on.”

Joe slid from his seat then picked up his plate and mug. “Sounds like you guys have a lot to do.” He scooted past me to put the dishes in the sink.

“Thank you, Babe. Just leave them. I’ll take care of them later.” He turned from the sink toward me. A light kiss found its way to the back of my shoulder as he swatted my ass. I watched him walk out of the kitchen. He looked over his shoulder and winked. That still works. A smile filled the corners of my mouth. I pressed my hands into the countertop. My whole body pushing into the cabinet. I could feel both Dallas and Cooper staring at me. “What?!”

“Nothin’,” Cooper was quick to respond. He rushed to get up and gather his things.

I turned my gaze to Dallas. “Go ahead. Say whatever it is you’re thinking.” He sized me up, debating whether or not hse should speak. “Come on. Out with it. You’ll feel better after you say it.”

“I was just thinking that was quite the reaction to a man wearing YOUR bathrobe.”

I started laughing loudly. “What can I say? He’s totally secure wearing a big fuzzy pink heart on his back.”

“Clearly.” He slipped off his seat. “I have to be in L.A. by one. So spend the next two hours with me an Coop hashing out that cha-cha and then I’ll kick him out and you can have a long weekend. Sound good?” Now it was my turn to size him up. “I’m serious. I’m gonna spend the next few days teaching Cooper our ballroom boot camp. I know you know it. Your mother taught it to both of us.”

“Are you sure? What about ‘one team, one dream?”

“You and I both know you are going to carry this team. First thing Monday morning, you and Cooper will start on that Jive and Waltz. And he’ll probably need one of your stretch classes. Be sure to listen to his ideas too.”

“Ok. But don’t start the timer on those two hours just yet. I gotta finish up these dishes.”

“Yeah. Uh huh. The dishes...” Dallas walked out to see what Cooper was working on in the studio.

True to my word, I gathered up the remaining plates and silverware ans shoved them into the dishwasher. And then I ran upstairs. I found Joe lounging on the bed. His legs out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. Still wearing my bathrobe. I backed up against the door to close it. He was scrolling through something on his phone when the door clicked shut. He looked up from the screen in his hand. He had just enough time to set his phone aside before I took two steps and launched myself at the bed. I landed with a bounce. I was straddled over his lap before he could move. I grabbed the collar of the robe and pulled forward until my lips were on his. “That took longer than I expected,” he said when I finally let up. I playfully rolled my eyes at him. He slapped my ass in response.

I took his phone. I set a timer and dropped it back where I found it. “When that goes off, I’m all yours until Monday.” Before he could say anything, I gave him one more kiss and ran back downstairs. I strapped on my shoes and met the boys in the middle of the dance floor. “Start that timer, we’ve got work to do.” We busted out and broke down dance move after dance move until all three of us were fluent in the steps. True to his word, Dallas and Cooper were both out of the house in two hours.

I ran upstairs. Joe stood at the end of the bed with his phone in hand. “You are 27 seconds past due.”

“Guilty. Blame the boys. But I am here now.”

He pointed toward the bathroom. “Shower. Now.”

“May I have a kiss first?” I stepped closer to him until I could loop my arms around his waist. His arms rested on my shoulders. His chin dropped. A smile spread across my face as I could feel the warmth of his lips getting closer and closer to mine. I sipped his lip. The gentle pressure quivered for a moment before it was gone.

“You’ve had your kiss. Go.” I turned away from him with a pout. I pathetically trudged to the bathroom with my head hung down. “I put a dress in there for you to wear. I think you like it. If you don’t, tell me what you do like.” For a split second there was red flag waving in the back of my mind. And then I saw the dress hanging on the back of the door. Indeed, it was one I liked. I quickly showered and dressed. By the time I was finished, Joe was sitting on the edge of the bed. “Ready to go?”

“Where are we going?”

“Away. The car is packed and waiting.” He held his hand out to me. My fingertips slid across his palm. His fingers closed around mine. “Come on!” We were suddenly running down the stairs and out to the driveway.

Seatbelts were fastened and with Joe behind the wheel, we were driving down the freeway. Traffic was moving at a steady clip. My eyes were wide open as I watched the world pass in streaks of billboards and buildings. His hand slid across my knee. I looked over from the window to the driver’s seat. He wore a half-cocked grin. My heart fluttered. “What’s that look for?”

“I just love that you don’t know where I’m taking you.” I smiled back and patted his knee. His smile dropped. “Wait? You know?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t not say that.”

I picked his hand up from my knee. I brushed his knuckles over my lips. “I will not take away your fun.” I turned his hand over and opened it up. I placed a kiss in the center of his palm then put his hand back on my knee. In truth, I had a general idea of where we were headed, but nothing specific. The way we were headed, there weren’t too many options. As we changed freeways for the third time, our options were even fewer. Cityscapes gave way to hills and desert. Giant windmills sprouted up from the parched valley soil. “Will you pull over for a minute? I want to take a picture.” Joe nodded and pulled the car way off the side of the two-laned highway. The seatbelt wooshed back as I climbed out of the car. The warm wind whipped at the hem of my dress. I took a few steps towards the rocky ground as I framed up the hills and turning blades. _Click. Click. Click._

“My turn,” Joe spoke. His fingers tightened around my waist. He turned us around. He lifted his phone. Selfie mode engaged. I tucked my head close to his so my hair wouldn’t whip him in the face. _Click_. His head turned and kissed my temple. _Click_. I grabbed his chin, turned his face to the side, and kissed his cheek. _Click_. We turned toward each other and kissed one more time. _Click._ We walked back toward the car. He wrapped around me again and turned so he was leaning against the car. He pulled me against his body. “Let’s just stand here for a minute.”

The only constant was the wind, though it seemed to change direction with each gust. The hum of tires on asphalt droned every few minutes with silence in between. His arms crossed in front of me. I wormed my arms in and laced my fingers between his. I could feel his lips beside my ear. We stood there. His chest rising and falling at my back. Staring out across the valley to the hills. I looked up as a bird floated through the sky. “Babe?”

“Yes.” His breath skimmed my ear.

“Is wherever we’re going much further?”

“No.” He pushed off the car, standing both of us upright. “Should we go?” The passenger door opened and he ushered me back in. I pressed a kiss full on his mouth before ducking my head and finding my seat. He jogged around the front of the car and reclaimed his spot behind the wheel.

Fifteen minutes later, we turned down a two-laned street. We passed a couple of quaint, boutique-y hotels. A series of bright white buildings appeared outside my window. Dark brown and rust colored stone walls broke up the white. We stopped in front of a stone archway. Bright pink begonias dotted the vines that spilled over the top and sides of the arch. Through the arch, a tiled fountain bubbled. “Wait here for a moment, please.” Joe was halfway out of the car as he made the request. I slowly reached across the driver’s side as he made his way around the front of the car. I tapped the horn and watched him jump at the sound. I started laughing hysterically. He came around to my door. I unbuckled my seatbelt as I continued to laugh. His smile was broad. He chuckled as he reached for my hand. We were greeted in the courtyard with a cup of Moroccan mint tea. The pink flowers from the arbor were also found in the fountain pool. “I’m gonna get us checked in.” He kissed my cheek and walked into the lobby.

I pulled out my phone and snapped a few pictures of the little details... The intricate tiles of the fountain. The flowers. Large brass lanterns that lined one side. I followed into the lobby. I found a table beautifully tiled in blues, greens, and yellows in front of a rich dark brown leather couch. Brightly colored accent pillows punctuated the couch. We were toured around the property. Shown pools and fire pits, day beds and dining. We were walked across the street to the Mediterranean Villas. Tiles were replaced by flagstone. Buildings were more adobe-like with natural wooden doors and shutters. Boulders encircled groupings of chairs or palm trees. We walked beside another pool and more fire pits, across the bocce ball court, and finally were taken through a white arch flanked with stones.

Beyond the arch was a small orchard of leafy citrus trees with a long couch and two arm chairs. The building was also stark white with a bright blue painted door. We were shown around the side to a back patio area. There were two black and white striped lounge chairs adjacent the wall we had followed. The white wall turned to flagstone as we turned a corner. There was a wooden bench that ran along the wall until the wall rounded into a spa with waterfall. I turned toward the building. There was a wall of windows on the orchard side and a bank of paned, wooden, French doors on the rock side. Our guide pushed one side of wall of windows. The whole thing pivoted and swung open. A plump chaise lounge overlooked the patio. We continued in to find a full living room and dining room. I crossed over to the French doors and found the bedroom.

A king-size iron bed sat against one wall covered in fluffy white pillows and linens. There was a narrow wooden door on one side. I pushed through to find a HUGE bathroom. The floors and walls were in flagstone. In the far corner was a tall, clay wood burning furnace. In the center of the room was a beautiful bronze soaking tub. I ran my hand over the cool metal. I climbed in. I leaned against the back wall. I stretched my legs out and pointed my toes in attempt to touch the other side.

“Hey Holly?” Joe called from the other room. “Babe? Where are you?” He pushed the door into the bathroom. I had sunk down into the tub so my feet would touch the other side; my head was lower that the tub’s edge. I reached my hand up. “What’cha doin’ in there?” He kneeled on the steps beside the tub.

“You know, hanging out.” My voice reverberated against the metal. My fingertips flew to my lips. My eyes were wide from the unexpected echo.

His hands assessed the edge. “I’ll have you know I booked this particular room because of this very feature.” He peeled my hands away from my face. I tucked my lip behind my teeth. “I promise, you will have plenty of time for this tub... and the hot tub outside... but how about we go explore happy hour options?”

I quickly scrambled to a crouched position and hopped out of the tub. “You said the magic words.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" written by Bob Hilliard and David Mann; performed by Carly Simon.

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics to "All You Get From Love is a Love Song" by The Captain and Tennille


End file.
